Shattered Glass
by Jalen of the Silence
Summary: In the war between heaven and hell mankind's salvation is machine. Welcome my friends, to the Apocalypse.
1. Lost Scroll: shall we play?

Disclaimer: If I owned this stuff I would definitely not be writing this? No money is being made from this endeavor please don't sue.

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A/N: I have been writing for several years now, but this is my first shot at fan fiction, well fan fiction that's been posted for other people to read anyway. I'm not sure how good my writing style is and I'm hoping that my readers can help me improve so constructive criticism is most welcome. Open flaming of me though is frowned upon. I'm a big music fan and I have a habit of making soundtracks to go along with my stories so when you see this * it means there is a suggested song for that particular part of the chapter to listen to, I find it helps greaten the impact. Anyway enough of my ramblings enjoy the show.

*Suggested song: Game By: Disturbed

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Lost Scroll: Shall we play?

* It was late in the afternoon when the sun finally came out from behind the clouds, assaulting all those who had been unprepared for its arrival with its harsh yet merciful light. Its light danced merrily with the shadows it created as if they were celebrating the coming of the New Year with their joyful spirit.

'Such a simple yet promising people,' mused a lone figure as he watched passers by stop and admire the spectacle of the dancing shadows from under the canopy of the sidewalk cafe. The man glanced down at the expensive watch on his wrist before turning his attention back to his newspaper. 'She should be here soon,' he thought to himself. Folding up the paper, he placed it into the interior pocket of his suit jacket before reaching down and picking a large, incredibly old looking wooden box boxed. 'How long has it been since I've been in her presence last?' He pondered, pulling out a multilevel chess board and setting up the rune covered, intricacy carved wooden slabs.

"Tell me exactly what am I supposed to do now that I have allowed you to beat me?" He hummed to him self as he placed the complex onyx and ivory playing pieces on the first board. "Do you think that we could play another game? Maybe I could win this time." He smiled to himself as he continued to hum.

'It seems most appropriate, this song, don't you agree?' He questioned himself, his smile growing larger. 'It is fine when one talks to ones self, but when one answers their own questions it becomes apparent that they are going mad.' The man leaned forward and examined the ancient runes and forgotten languages engraved on the multiple boards and decorated playing pieces. Pausing for a moment he contemplated how the board was set up before turning it around so that he was facing the onyx pieces. Satisfied with this, he leaned back and continued to sing to him self. "It doesn't really seem I'm getting through to you, though I see you weeping so sweetly. I think that you might have to take another taste a little bit of hell this time." Several people halted in their journey to glance at the strange singing man before continuing on their way mumbling about hang overs and crazy drunks. A cool wind blew across him and he opened his eyes, a smile once again splitting his features.

"Three o clock exactly, nothing ever changes with you, does it," the man spoke, glancing at his watch before looking up at the woman who had taken the seat across from him.

"You know how the saying goes, ' the more things change, the more they stay the same', the woman replied.

"But does that really apply to two beings such as us?" he questioned as he examined the woman before him. She had not changed much since the last time he had seen her then again neither had he, she was still just as beautiful as she was in times long past. Her platinum hair reached down far past her shoulders and he was positive that she was sitting on it; crystal blue eyes peered out at him from a young face in a motherly sort of manner. Her eyes were what he remembered most about her, they always had a gentle kindness to them and yet they held a deeper wisdom and sadness. It was the sadness in her eyes that he regretted the most about the time he had spent with her as he was the one who had caused it. It was the same sadness that was in her eyes the day in which he and countless others were cast away from their home forever.

"I suppose you are right, our dress may change with the days, but our appearance and ideals never will, or can they?"

"They can, and have, at least in your case anyway," the man answered.

"How do you mean?"

"I remember a time when your anger was swift and just, you sentenced countless beings to destruction and damnation for deifying your word, and now you just sit back and watch the children of your creations destroy them selves, many of them believe you have abandoned them and left them for dead as it were. Most have gotten it in their heads that you simply work in mysterious ways and want them to be their own miracle."

"And what do you believe?"

"I believe that you have simply abandoned them, that you realized the mistake you made when they were brought into being and got tired of their insolence and stupidity, that you left them to kill each other off, because I can tell you now, from what I've seen them do, there is no such thing as a human miracle. Am I right?"

"There may be some truth to those words which brings me to the point of why I asked you here."

"You need not worry of the destruction of the flesh of your flesh, I have no intention of destroying them all just yet, I want to enjoy my freedom a while longer before. Besides there are still plenty of innocent souls left to corrupt before their death."

"You believe that their impure souls warrant their destruction and yet you said it yourself, there is still innocence left."

"That is true, but they deserve to be destroyed and their wicked souls dammed for all eternity like I was as decreed by your own infallible word."

"My word may be infallible, but I can still change it, as you said it yourself I have abandoned them, so it is time that I redeem myself."

"It is ironic how we both now seek redemption for our sins, you for abandoning your false children so to speak and me for my transgressions against you and your kingdom," the man laughed.

"You still seek my forgiveness after all you have done?" the woman asked incredulously. "I may be just, but I am no fool."

"No, I no longer care for your forgiveness, your word has meant nothing to me since the day you turned your back on your true children. No, all I care for now is revenge," said the man, his dark eyes flashing dangerously. `

"You couldn't hurt me then, and no matter how much power you've gained you still cannot kill me, Adam." Eve stated.

"No, I cannot, but I can still hurt you, I can kill the things you love."

"You can try, but in the end you are only a fool, Adam. Everything you can do, I can undo. You can slaughter them, but I can give them back their life, you may destroy entire civilizations, but I can reverse time itself and rebuild them. But I can tell you this; if you start another war we will end with the heavens and the universe itself, killing us and everything else in the process."

"It is a pointless action," Adam admitted. "But what else is there for the likes of us?"

"We could watch, and help where we could. We could watch life go one."

"That is unacceptable. I would rather spend the rest of eternity back in the lake of fire. To sit there for the rest of existence as a passive observer? There must be something for us. If I cannot have my revenge then there is nothing for me."

"Then let us play a game Adam," Eve said, gesturing to the ancient game set before them.

"There will have to be rules."

"Yes there will be rules."

"And a winner?"

"Yes, there will be one, though it will take years." A manic smile once again split Adam's features.

"I'm not going anywhere."

"Then come," Eve spoke, "let us play one last game."

_After seven days he was quite tired, so God said:  
"Let there be a day just for picnics, with wine and bread."  
He gathered up some people he had made.  
Created Blankets and laid back in the shade._  
**Messiah Studios Present:**

_The people sipped their wine and what with God there, they asked him questions  
like: do you have to eat or get your hair cut in heaven?  
And if your eye got poked out in this life  
would it be waiting up in heaven with your wife?_

** In Association with Death Lands Pictures and Ill Breed Underground**

_God shuffled his feet and glanced around at them.  
The people cleared their throats and stared right back at him._

**A Faux Savior Production: **  
_So he said: "Once there was a boy who woke up with blue hair.  
To him it was a joy until he ran out into the warm air.  
He thought of how his friends would come to see;  
and would they laugh or had he got some strange disease?"  
_  
**Produced by Shadownomicon Films Ltd.**

_God shuffles his feet, and glanced around at them.  
The people cleared their throats and stared right back at him._

**Based Off The Concept Characters Created By Yoshiyuki Sadamoto**

_The people sat waiting out on their blankets in the garden, but God said nothing._  
_So someone asked him, "I beg your pardon:_  
_I'm not quite clear about what you just spoke-_  
_Was that a parable, or a very subtle joke?"_

**Shattered Glass**

_God shuffles his feet and glanced around at them.  
The people cleared their throats and stared right back at him._

* * *

You have been reading

**Shattered Glass**

Lost scroll: Shall we play?

_And at the end of the thousand years Lucifer shall be loosed from his prison_


	2. Book1 Chp1 Coming of the Third

Disclaimer: See prologue

A/N: I insure you that I have very good reasons for the changes that I have made and that they are very relevant to the plot, I don't make change for the sake of change. If you have any questions on these changes feel free to drop me a pm or leave a review. Till then enjoy the show.

Suggested Song: Feur Frie By: Rammstein

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The first book of the Slayer

Known as the Second Genesis

Chapter 1: The Coming of the Third

-Dome twenty two Neo Tokyo Australia August 22 101 A.F.C-

Shinji Ikari sat alone in the common room of the girl's dormitory save for her dog Fenrir. The fingers of her right hand glided over the pages of the book in her lap while the other idly scratched the large husky behind his ears. All of the other students were still asleep as was the usual case on a weekend morning. Shinji was glad for this as she found the other girls overly noisy. She preferred the quiet and relished the few rare moments of peace that she found. The sound of approaching footsteps shattered that silence to her dismay. Shinji could tell right away that it was the headmistress from the cloying cloud of vanilla perfume the woman wore. Shinji frowned, displeased that her time to herself had ended.

"Good morning headmistress," Shinji greeted as the woman came to a stop beside the couch she sat on.

"Ms. Ikari I wish you would stop doing that," the middle aged woman scolded.

"My apologies," said Shinji. There was no sincerity in her voice. Shinji had always prided herself in her ability to identify people by their unique scents. It made sneaking up on her neigh impossible and the unnerving effect it had on those people gave her a twisted sense of pleasure. The headmistress sighed.

"You have a phone call," she informed the teenaged girl. Shinji lifted her hand from the book and held it out. When she felt the weight of the phone in her hand she brought it up to her ear.

"This is Shinji," she said into the mouth piece. The headmistress left, giving the girl privacy.

"Hello Shinji," the voice on the other end greeted.

"Ritsuko!" Shinji shouted a smile on her face as she instantly recognized the caller as her step sister. Her smile changed into a frown as the strain in Ritsuko's voice registered in her mind. "Ritsuko what's wrong?" She heard the woman on the other side sigh. Shinji could picture the bottle blonde rubbing her temples like she did when she was stressed.

"I'm afraid I have some bad new," said Ritsuko no longer trying to hide the fact that there was something upsetting her. Shinji felt an ice cold ball of dread form in the pit of her stomach.

"Something's happened to dad hasn't it?" Shinji asked, fearing that she may be right, but hoping that she wasn't.

"It's not just your father its Rei as well." Ritsuko struggled to keep her voice from breaking as she told her step sibling the news.

"What happened?" Shinji demanded on the verge of tears.

"There was an accident at the lab; the test type went out of control."

"They're okay right? God Ritsuko, please tell me that they're okay." Shinji felt herself shaking, fear and worry creeping up her spine. She prayed that her family was alright. She loved her sister and father very much and the thought of losing them left her feeling numb.

"The MK 2 ejected the control module when we were preforming an activation test," Ritsuko began.

"Your father managed to get the access hatch open," she continued. "He burned his hands on the handles, Rei was still alive, but she was hurt pretty bad. I'm not sure if she is going to make it." Shinji choked back a sob. Other students began to fill the common room and she forced herself back into composure least they notice her distress and pry. She had always tried her best to not let others see her emotions and she planned on keeping it that way.

"Shinji are you listening?" Ritsuko's question brought her back to reality.

"I'm sorry I kind of drifted off for a moment," she confessed, the fear of losing her sister momentarily robbing her of conscious thought.

"I said that your father wants you to come to New Sydney to see Rei in case….." Ritsuko trailed off afraid to finish her statement.

"How am I supposed to get there?" asked Shinji agitation replacing depression. "It's not like I can drive or anything." She heard her step sister chuckle on the other end. Shinji suddenly felt rather foolish. Why would her father expect her to find a way there on her own? Of course he would arrange for a way for to get there especially under such dire circumstances.

"There will be a car coming to pick you up this afternoon so have everything packed and ready."

"Tell Rei to hold on and that I love her." Shinji's voice broke as she said this not really caring if any of the other girls heard her.

"I will Shinji, I'll talk to you later," Ritsuko said making to hang up.

"Ritsuko." The woman paused returning the receiver to her ear.

"Yes?"

"Thank you." Shinji's tone was somber. Shinji was a girl of few words and tended to let the way she said things convey more than the actual words spoken.

"I know, I miss you too," Replied Ritsuko getting the deeper meaning in her steps sister's words. There was a click and the line went dead. Shinji let out a sigh and set the phone down on the arm of the chair. She would take it back to the office later. She leaned back against the sofa thinking about the conversation she just had. Despite the dark reasons behind the call, Shinji was still glad that Ritsuko had called her. She had always looked up to the young woman as a role model. When Shinji's father first married Ritsuko's mother Naoko the two girls had not seen eye to eye. Shinji had never liked Naoko and thought that by marring the woman her father was essentially betraying the memory of her mother which left her very displeased with entire affair to say the very least. It was because she often voiced this displeasure that Shinji found herself in a situation with the elder Akagi that were it not for Ritsuko's intervention would have ended painfully. Since then Shinji had clung to the younger Akagi and the woman quickly adopted the role of surrogate mother for the Ikari twins.

'So I guess I'm going back then,' she thought scratching Fenrir behind the ears again. His head had relocated its self to her lap in efforts to comfort her during the phone call. The feeling of dread returned twice over. It had been almost six years since she had left New Sydney. She would go back to see her sister, but she was not sure if she would stay much longer after the girl's recovery or lack thereof. As much as she missed her family, with the exception of Naoko, the thought of being in that city again frightened her on a level of primal fear most people ignored. As much as the other students grated on her nerves at times the school was her home now and she preferred its walls over that of the city where all her nightmares came from. She would go see her sisters and after Rei got better she would come home. With that decided she stood, whistling for Fenrir as she walked towards the stairs that led to her dormitory.

* * *

'Well this can't be right,' thought one Major Misato Katsuragi, looking at the building she was parked in front of. She glanced down at the file in her lap. 'It's the right address but…' Misato sighed and set the file down on the passenger seat. 'I suppose there is only one way to find out,' and with that thought she stepped out of her car and walked up the front stairs of Neo Tokyo's Academy for The Blind. She looked around the lobby spotting the reception desk.

"Excuse me," She said approaching the desk. "I was wondering if you could help me, I think I might be lost."

"Where are you trying to get to?" asked the elderly woman behind the desk. She looked at Misato with a frown as she took in the Major's rather revealing attire.

"Well I was trying to get to 344 Bay Boulevard, but this is where my navigation system brought me."

"This is 344," said the receptionist putting down her magazine.

"But this is a school for the blind," Misato sputtered.

"And?" The woman sounded bored, Misato could tell she was beginning to tire her patience.

"My boss asked me to pick up his kid, but I think they gave me the wrong address." Misato was starting to get frustrated. The child of her superior officer was supposed to be a pilot candidate so they couldn't possibly be blind; this had to be the wrong place.

"What is the name of your employer's child perhaps I can help you locate the proper school." The elderly woman was starting to tire of the raven haired officer and wanted to get her out of the building as soon as possible.

"Shinji Ikari," Misato stated.

"She is a student here, you found the right place."

"But that means she's blind!" Misato shouted. The receptionist glared daggers at the woman for her outburst.

"Oh My God I'm blind?!" A soft voice dripping with sarcasm said from behind her. Misato turned to see a teenaged girl sitting on one of the benches by the school's entrance. She had long black hair that was pulled into a loose pony tail and was wearing a knee length skirt topped with a grey blazer. A pair of black sunglasses was perched on her small nose. Beside her a massive grey and white husky sat eyeing Misato warily.

"Oh, hehe I didn't see you there, you must be Shinji." Misato said rubbing the back of her head nervously. Had Misato actually bothered to read more than just the first few lines of the file she had been given she would have seen that yes Shinji was indeed blind and would have saved herself from this embarrassment.

"I am," the girl replied frowning. "You're who my father sent to come get me?"

"Yep!" Misato replied in a chipper tone approaching the girl on the bench. "I'm Major Misato Katsuragi. I work for your father at U.N.D.E.A.D. It's nice to meet you." Misato held out her hand in order to shake Shinji's. The teen made no move to take it, seemingly unaware of its presences despite it being half a foot in front of her face. Misato returned her hand to her side wondering what was up with the girl before remembering that she was lacking in the vision department. She felt like an idiot.

"So you ready to go?" She asked doing her best to keep her embarrassment out of her voice. Shinji nodded and stood, grabbing onto the metal handle of the huskies harness with her left hand while taking a large rolling suit case in her right.

"Do you need any help with that?"

"No I got it," said Shinji walking towards the door with the dog leading the way.

"Have a safe trip Ms. Ikari!" The Receptionist called after them. Misato walked outside to find Shinji standing patiently at the foot of the stairs, her dog looking around awaiting its master's next command. 'Why is she just standing there?' Misato wondered. 'Oh that's right she doesn't know where my car is,' she realized having once again forgotten that the teenaged girl could not see. Misato's heart went out to Shinji. She could scarcely imagine how difficult life must be for her.

"I'm parked right out front here," Misato informed her walking towards her car. Shinji nudged the husky and he followed after Misato leading the blind girl. Shinji pause in front of the passenger door.

"Here let me take your bag, I'll put it in the trunk," Misato offered. Shinji removed her hand from the suitcase and Misato took it. "Its unlocked if you want to go ahead and get in." Shinji held her hand out against the door feeling for the handle. After a moment she located it and pulled the door open. Her dog jumped in first before hopping over the center consul into the backseat. Shinji slipped into the seat pulling the door shut and then clicking the seat belt in to place. Misato closed the trunk and got into the driver seat proper. She looked over at her passenger who sat with her head forward and her hands clasped in her lap.

"You don't say much do you?" It was more of a statement than a question.

"I'm just really worried about my sister." The girl's voice was so soft that Misato had to strain to hear her.

"I wouldn't worry too much, with Ritsuko taking care of her I'm sure she will be just fine," Misato reassured reaching out and placing a hand on Shinji's shoulder. Shinji recoiled from the touch, drawing herself closer to the door. Misato quickly withdrew her hand surprised at the girl's reaction.

"Please don't touch me," she requested softly. She did not sound angry, to Misato she almost sounded like she was afraid. 'Why would she be afraid of being touched?'

"I'm sorry I didn't know," Misato apologized feeling ashamed of herself. She had barely been with the girl ten minutes and had already insulted the fact that she was blind and had apparently made her afraid of her.

"It's fine, just don't do it again."

"I won't I promise," Misato swore putting her hand over her heart before putting it back down feeling silly. The girl could not see any of the gestures she made. Hell she could flip the girl off and get away with it, if she wanted to that is. "Can I ask why though?"

"I just don't like being touched." She answered in a tone that suggested she did not want to talk about it anymore. Misato stared at Shinji wondering once again just what her deal was. She watched as Shinji continued to lean against the passenger side door her knees pulled up to her chest. Misato had not realized just how small and fragile the girl appeared until that moment.

"Can we go now?" Shinji asked her soft voice returning to its normal stotic tone.

"Yeah let's go." Misato started the car and they took off down the street, she had the feeling that Shinji knew she had been staring at her.

* * *

-Dome Twenty Three New Sydney Australia-

Kozo Fuyutski leaned against the command terminal with his arms across his chest. Beside him sat his longtime friend and former student Gendo Ikari. The younger man sat with his hands steeped in front of his face looking down across the command deck of U.N.D.E.A.D central.

"Are you excited to see Shinji?" the wizened man questioned turning his head to look at the man. "It's been almost a year since you've seen her last." Gendo lowered his hands away from his face.

"I wish I could say I was, but given the circumstances it will not be that much of a happy reunion," Gendo replied, idly scratching at the stubble forming on his chin. He would need to shave soon least he grow a beard. "You know how much she hates this city."

Kozo nodded. He was well aware of Shinji's aversion to the metropolis and he really didn't blame her.

"How is Rei's recovery going?" He thought it best to change the subject before more painful aspects were brought up.

"I talked to Ritsuko this afternoon; she still is not sure the extent of the damage done." Kozo looked down at the man sympathetically. The man had been through a lot and it amazed him that Gendo had not gone stark raving mad. He was indeed a strong man. Kozo clasped his hand on his friend's shoulder.

"The best we can do is have hope, things may be dark now, but there is always a light at the end of the tunnel." Gendo made no reply, but Fuyutski knew he had taken the words to heart. Seeing his daughter again would do Gendo some good even if things with Rei were bleak Shinji's presences would help ease the blow if something were to happen to the albino. Maybe by being there Shinji could even help Rei recover.

A sudden commotion on the lower levels of the command deck prevented further conversation. Kozo turned around looking down at the technicians as they scurried around franticly.

"Report!" Gendo barked assuming the harsh persona of "the commander" that he had spent years crafting for situations like this. A female tech with short brown hair turned around in her chair. Her name was Maya Ibuki if Kozo remembered correctly. She was the highest ranking member of the bridge technicians just under the director of operations and the head of the Marauder project. She was a highly intelligent and very capable woman.

"The Magi are detecting a massive spike in electromagnetic energy thirty kilometers south of the city!" Maya shouted sounding incredibly worried.

"Red pattern confirmed it's a Hell Gate!" a technician to left of Maya reported.

"I want visual confirmation!" Gendo ordered. To the bridge crew he appeared to be the epitome of command and respect, but within he was deeply disturbed. If this was indeed a Hell Gate then there was a good chance that they would all die today. There was only one functional Marauder unit and no pilots. Shinji was on her way there, but Gendo could not ask her to pilot not in her current condition. He would have to hope that conventional weaponry would be enough to stop the entity that was making its way into their plane of existence or at least slow it down until he could devise a better plan. If there was one thing to be said about Gendo Ikari was that he always had a plan.

"Saber's inbound!" a long haired man by the name of Lt. Aoba reported. "E.T.A two minutes!" The tension in the bridge was palpable as everyone stopped in their work and waited to see if their worst fears would be confirmed.

"Saber contact bringing it on screen!" There was a collective gasp as the bridge crew witnessed the real time feed from the Saber drones on the Holographic display in the front of the room. A massive wound had been torn in the fabric of reality bleeding madness into the world of the sane. It looked like someone had taken a knife and cut open the sky, the jagged hole swirling with mind bending colors and patterns incomprehensible by the feeble mind of man.

Maya let out a horrified scream, losing all decorum and turned away from the screen to vomit on the floor. An enormous hand ending in cruel talons appeared at the edge of the gate followed by another. The gate seemed to distend outwards as the monstrosity raped its way into our world. With a sickening tearing sound the edges of the wound in reality gave way entirely revealing the beast in all its terrible glory. It was vaguely humanoid with four long spindly arms ending in three fingered talons. The nightmare creature was covered in bony armor, its head an avian style mask which rested in the middle of its chest. The bridge crew watched in sick fascination as the beast seemed to take in its surroundings. It noticed the Saber drones circling it and cocked its head to the side as if curious, the empty sockets that served as its eyes staring through the camera feed and right into the souls of its human observers.

Light flashed out from the beast's eyes and the screen went to stack it. It had been a message and it was clear, it knew where they were and it was coming for them.

"All hands level one battle stations!" Gendo ordered snapping out of the trance that watching the perversion of nature had placed them under. "Alert the E.A.S.D.F tell them I want full armored divisions at the south quadrant yesterday and Arial units ready to deploy at my command!" A chorus of yes sirs were heard as the crew relayed the supreme commander's orders through the proper channels, acting as the finely oiled military machine they were all trained to be.

"It looks like Sindel was right," Said Fuyutski doing his best to hide the naked terror he felt.

"Indeed he was, the Daemon have returned." Gendo stood and looked down at his subordinates as they rushed about preparing for battle. He felt a sense of pride swell with in him; these were his people, New Sydney was his home and he would be damned if some hell bent perversion of life was going to take it from him.

"I don't think I need to tell you all what you job is," he announced. "Ladies and gentlemen as of now we are at war!"

* * *

"So…" Misato began awkwardly. She had been trying to start a conversation with the blind girl since they had entered the inter-dome tunnel half an hour ago. Most of her attempts had failed before even exiting the gate. The silence was killing the normally cheerful woman and she wanted desperately to grab the girl by the shoulders and shake her until she said anything, anything at all other than the curt two word answers she had been giving her. Unfortunately that would be detrimental to the already strained relationship the two shared.

"So," was all Shinji said. She had returned to her original position of head forward and hands in lap while her husky rested his forepaws on the shoulder rests of Shinji's seat, his head moving back and forth between the two as if he was watching them have a verbal tennis match.

"So," Misato said again. She was starting to sound like a broken record. "Umm what's your dog's name?"

"Fenrir," Shinji answered flatly.

"You mean like the Norse wolf god?"

"Yes." It was silent for a moment after that.

"So I guess Rei is the talkative one," Misato mused out loud. She glanced at her passenger out of the corner of her eye and saw that Shinji had a small smile on her face. So she did have a sense of humor.

"What made you decide to call him that?"

"I got really into Norse mythology a few years back, I thought it was fitting," the quiet girl explained. Misato delighted. She had finally managed to get a full sentence from her!

"So I guess that makes you Tyr," the raven haired woman commented. Shinji cocked her head to the side. She seemed to be interested now.

"You think I'm like the god of war?" She questioned genuinely curious.

"Well Tyr was the only one to tame the beast so it makes sense." Misato was happy she had managed to engage Shinji in a conversation even if it was a philosophical debate. It was still a step closer in bringing her out of her shell.

"Well technically Tyr only tricked Fenrir as a distraction so the other gods could chain him to the rock and he lost his hand in the process."

"True so I guess you aren't a warrior god after all, you're too small anyway," Misato teased feeling that the tension between them had eased up enough that she could get away with the harmless barb without offending the younger girl. Shinji frowned at the joke.

"It's not the size of the man in the fight it's the size of the fight in the man," Shinji countered turning her head fully at Misato so she could see her expression.

"Ah, but you're a girl and blind." Misato snapped her mouth shut just as she said that, immediately regretting poking fun at the girl's handicap. 'Whelp back to square one.'

"Just because I'm blind doesn't mean I can't defend myself," her tone was even, but indicated that she could more than easily back up her claims. "Have you ever heard of Daredevil?"

Misato shook her head in the negative then slapped her forehead having once again forgotten that the girl could not see her gestures. With how independent Shinji acted it was easy to overlook the fact that she lacked eyesight.

"No I can't say that I have."

"It was a pre contact comic book series," Shinji began. Fenrir had lost interest in their conversation and had lain down on the back seat of the car, his snout tucked under his forepaws. "It was about a blind superhero, they called him the man without fear."

"So you liken yourself to him then?"

"Well my senses are really sharp just like his," Shinji replied, a small grin playing on her petite lips.

"How so?" Misato inquired her tone of voice clearly indicative of a challenge. She wanted to put this seemingly harmless girl to the test.

"Well I can tell that you spent most of last night drinking cheap booze and then you woke up late and tried to cover the fact that you didn't take a shower by wearing copious amounts of perfume," Shinji stated playfully. Misato stared at her incredulously.

"How di wha bu," she sputtered unable to come up with a counter argument. Shinji laughed, it was a cute laugh, but to Misato at that moment it was laugh of Satan.

"How did you know?" She finally asked managing to regain her composure. Shinji tapped the side of her nose with her index finger grinning like the Cheshire cat.

"I told you I'm not to be messed with," Shinji stated smugly.

"I'm starting to think I liked you better when you were quiet." The Major groused feeling embarrassed that she had been called out on her less then professional after hour activities. Shinji giggled and turned her head back to the front. 'How can something so cute be so evil?' Misato wondered. 'Than again she is Commander Ikari's daughter'. She shuddered as she remembered stories Ritsuko had told her about her hot blooded employers early days. The pair lapsed back into silence, though it was nowhere near as unbearable as it had been before, the only sound coming from the music feed that Misato had set the car's computer to as they raced along the underground road way that connected the domed cities.

"Is it alright if I turn it up? I like this song." Shinji requested. Misato glanced over at the girl. She hadn't pegged her as a music lover as she was so reserved.

"Sure, you want me to do it?"

"No I got it," replied the girl her hand hovering over the computer's control module. Misato watched fascinated as Shinji deftly located the volume control and cranked up the volume full blast. Shinji started to bob her head to the music and to the Major's surprise even started to drum her hands on the dash board. It was an old pre contact song and was incredibly catchy. Misato found herself going along with Shinji, swaying her head back and forth and even mouthing the lyrics to the hundred year old song. Hey rock is still awesome regardless of the time period.

"Major Katsuragi where the hell are you?!" An irate voice shouted over the computer's comm channel interrupting the girls' rock out session. It was sub-commander Fuyutski, he did not sound pleased.

"I'm heading back to the city on route 231 right now," Misato replied sounding as professional as possible. She glanced down at the map displayed in the corner of computer's HUD. "I'll be there in about twenty minutes."

"Not good enough we need you on the bridge now! We've gone to level one battle stations!" Fuyutski ordered.

"Level one sir?" She questioned confused.

"There is a 'situation' you will be briefed upon your arrival." He paused. "Do you have Shinji with you?"

"I'm here." The girl piped up apparently tired of being left out of the conversation.

"Get her to base as soon as possible." He commanded. "And Major?"

"Sir?"

"Shinji Ikari's safety at this moment is top priority; guard her with your life."

"Yes Sir!" Misato sounded off; the transmission terminated, however the music did not return instead it had been replaced by an emergency warning broadcast though no information was forth coming.

"Misato what's level one battle stations mean?" Shinji questioned with worry.

"Nothing good," Misato answered her tone mirroring Shinji's. Misato knew exactly what going to the highest level of alert meant, but she did not want to tell the teen not wanting to scare her even more then she probably was already.

"Why is my safety top priority? I mean I know my dad is the commander and all, but other than that what makes me so valuable that someone as important as you might have to give your life to protect me?"

"I don't know Shinji," Misato lied. She knew exactly why, but she would not tell the girl, not just yet. 'There's no way they could use her, I know Rei is really banged up, but still they couldn't possibly be thinking of doing something so insane unless they get really desperate.'

"Hang on!" Misato shifted her car from auto into manual and changed gears pressing the accelerator all the way down, the vehicle taking off like down the tunnel like a bat out of hell.

"Misato?" Shinji questioned drawing her knees back up to her chest.

"Yeah Shinji?"

"I'm scared." Shinji made no attempt to cover up the fear in her voice.

"Me too Kiddo me too." Against her better judgment Misato placed a comforting hand on Shinji's shoulder. She did not flinch.

* * *

A battalion of M3A5 Leviathan super heavy tanks stood poised, awaiting the arrival of their enemy so that they may rain metal death down upon the would be harbinger of destruction. The battalion commander sat in the auto gun turret of the lead tank watching the approaching monstrosity through a pair of high powered binoculars. The very sight of the extra dimensional entity sent icy fingers of fear down his spine, but he would not let it show. He had to lead his men by example after all. Everything about the beast was a perversion, its very existence a blight against nature.

"Sir the hell hammer pods are in place!" The battalion's second in command reported.

"Good we should have enough fire power to blast this hell blown cretin off the face of the earth." He picked up his comm link and opened it to all channels.

"Listen up ladies!" He barked. "This is the moment you've all been waiting for its time to make your mommas' proud!" Cheers from his men erupted around him. They were confident that they could stop the beast. How wrong they were. The commander watched the monster approach, its gangly body moving with surprising grace across the barren wastes beyond the borders of the domed city.

"On my mark fire at will!" he ordered. The thud of metal on metal echoed as the Leviathans flanked by four Hell Hammer MRM launchers loaded their main guns. He held out his arm counting down the seconds until the Daemon was in firing range.

"Fire at will! Fire at will!" He cried bringing his arm down in a sharp motion. The deafening boom of gunpowder against metal drowned the order out as a myriad of shells rained down. A shimmering field of violet energy expanded from the Daemon's body reflecting the shells like they were nothing but flies.

"Keep firing! Fall back and Keep firing!" The Leviathans began to move in reverse firing a second volley of shells this one supported by the Hell Hammer pods, all of which met the same fate as the first. For the most part the Daemon had been ignoring the tanks until they had attacked it of course. Turning its interests towards the futile human offense the traveler switched its objectives for the moment. Raising one of its palms it watched with smug satisfaction as the light of its soul burned the children of Eve and their machines to ash.

"My god they're just gone," Fuyutski muttered looking at the carnage on the screen provided by a set of high altitude drones. It was unbelievable; all the beast had done was lift its hand and an entire division of the world's most powerful tanks had been turned to smoldering wrecks. Beside him Gendo suppressed a sigh. He would have to write to the families of those men, if they survived that is.

"Launch all fighters! The Daemon cannot be allowed to breach the dome!" Gendo ordered. Kozo could see the tension building in the younger man. They were starting to run out of options if they could not stop the traveler before it breached the city than they would have to activate the MK1. It was something that neither man wanted to do.

"Fighters launched!" Lt. Ibuki called. "Sir we are getting a message from the squadron leader!"

"Put it through!" An image of a middle aged man wearing a flight helmet appeared on the display, he looked grim.

"Commander," the man said curtly.

"Captain," Gendo replied with a nod.

"I just wanted to let you know that the Black Knights will do everything in our power to protect the city or die trying."

"Very well Captain, we are all counting on you and your men."

"If we don't make it back, tell my wife that her cooking sucks." The Captain chuckled darkly.

"Good luck Captain." The captain saluted them. Gendo returned the gesture.

"Black Knight 1 out." The transmission cut out, the display replaced with a grid showing the status of the fighters.

"If the fighters don't stop it what is our next move?" Questioned Kozo.

"There is always the Hammer," answered the commander not taking his eyes off the display. It showed that the fighters had broken formation and had begun their attack runs.

"But to drop it so close to the city could damage the dome!"

"The dome can be repaired; we cannot allow the Daemon into the city far too much is at stake." His voice was cool and even. Gendo was right, it was a calculated risk, but it was better than the alternative.

"And if that doesn't work?"

"Then Heaven help us."

* * *

"What the hell is going on up there!?" Shinji shouted as the tunnel was rocked by explosions for the third time. It sounded like there was a war going on directly above their heads. "Did someone declare war on us?"

"You could say that," Misato responded as she focused on avoiding the debris that had begun to rain from the tunnel's ceiling. 'Shit!' she thought. 'If I don't back to base soon we're going to die down here!' Fenrir had woken from his slumber in the backseat and was now whimpering nervously.

"They're going to make me pilot aren't they?" There was something in her tone that Misato could not quite place.

"What makes you say that?" Misato asked hoping that her prediction was wrong.

"If what's happening is what I think it is then I'm the only one who can, Rei is no shape to fight and the MK3 and its pilot are half way around the world still."

"So you know about all that then?" Misato had not been sure of the extent of knowledge Shinji had been privy to. Being the daughter of the Supreme Commander she had access to just about as much information as the Operations Director herself.

"I'm sure your father has a better plan than to send a blind girl out to fight." At least Misato hoped the commander did.

"We're going to die aren't we?" Oddly the girl didn't sound that upset by the concept of losing her life.

"No we're not going to die, I promise you Shinji everything will okay."

"It's okay Misato you don't have to lie to me."

"No one is dying today, not under my watch." Misato vowed. She prayed that she was right.

* * *

Up on the surface a full scale battle raged. The Squadron of R66 Utah fighters had been joined by the E.A.S.F.D's second armored division and were throwing everything they had at the Daemon. Tanks and other ground based artillery lobbed shell after shell at the beast, but it was having little to no effect. Most of their attacks were deflected by the energy field it project while others exploded harmlessly on its surprisingly resilient hide. Several of the Utahs had broken off and rocketed sky ward before going into a dive their forward auto cannons blazing. The traveler looked up at the nuisances and lifted an arm, snatching one of the advanced fighter jets out of the sky and hurling it into the other. It continued forward towards the city crushing a tank with its foot. The tank's ammunition ignited under the sudden pressure and it exploded. The Daemon looked down at its foot curiously as if it were casually inspecting it to see if it had stepped in something unpleasant.

Seeing that the beast was distracted a missile frigate took the opportunity and moved into position letting off a cluster of eighteen wheeler sized missiles. The Traveler looked up in time for the rockets to slam into its face. The beast staggered back from the force of the impact, but was otherwise unhurt. Before it was having fun destroying the children of Eve and their toys, but now play time was over. The pathetic creatures had tried to hurt it and now it was pissed. Light built up within the black pits that served as its eyes and a blast of dark energy was released destroying the ground forces. The fighters continued to buzz around its head firing off missiles and bullets to no avail.

* * *

"It seems that conventional weaponry has no effect on the Daemon," the sub-commander observed as they watched the spectacle from the upper command deck. "It's starting to look like we may have no choice, but to activate the MK1 after all." Behind his hands Commander Ikari frowned. He had not wanted it to come to this. They were completely unprepared; Sindel's prediction about the Daemon's return was correct, but his timing was off. They were not supposed to have returned for another year. Now they were caught with their proverbial pants down with very few options left.

"Order all reaming forces to withdraw." Gendo commanded. "Drop the hammer."

"But sir!" Maya protested looking up at the man shocked and confused.

"Don't question me!" He barked. Maya cringed under the verbal assault. "Drop the Hammer that is an order!" Maya obeyed, turning back to her station and typing in the commands to fire the weapon of last resort. She knew the Commander was trying to prevent the usage of the Marauder prototype for obvious reasons, but to fire such a powerful weapon so close to the city was suicide!

"Protocol 666 initiated!" Maya announced her hesitation was audible. "Commander the Thor is armed and ready."

"Fire on my mark!" The bridge fell silent as a timer appeared on the screen counting down to the point of no return. Maya's finger hovered shaking over the launch button. She was sweating profusely.

"Mark!"

* * *

High above the earth the weapons platform known as Thor came to life. Its targeting systems coming online as camera's zoomed in and locked onto the Daemon. From the under carriage a barrel extended and rotated into place, stabilization fins expanding from its sides. A series of electromagnetic generations cycled up charging the Thor's primary weapon. With a burst of energy the three thousand ton tungsten steel rod known simply as the Hammer was launched at the Daemon at ten times the speed of sound.

* * *

Multiple warnings were flashing across the HUD of Misato's car an air raid siren was blaring through the speakers.

"I knew I shouldn't have bothered to come back here," Shinji mumbled, her legs draw tightly up to her chest, her forehead was resting on her knees. The sounds of the battle above had increased and then suddenly stopped.

"Don't worry were almost there," Misato assured her reading over the displays her eyes widening in horror. She had never been so glad that Shinji could not see her face, now all she had to do is keep the fear in her voice from making its self-known. The computer, which was linked to the Magi, had just informed her that the Thor had been fired and that the Daemon just happened to be right on top of them. 'Commander Ikari must be really getting desperate to use that knowing that we're still out here.'

"I have a really bad feeling about this," Shinji stated. She was trying her best to keep up her façade of fearlessness, but inside she was terrified. Misato shifted gears again and gunned the engine attempting to out run death.

* * *

The Traveler was nearing its destination. Soon it would breach the last of the human's defenses and claim the all mother to its self. Oh how much fun it would have when it joined with her and how jealous of its power its brethren would be. It was the second of its kind to visit upon this pitiful world and would be the first to take the all mother and there was nothing the weak children of Eve could do to stop it. A sonic boom shattered the silence. The Daemon turned and looked up curiously. It watched unconcerned as the Hammer wreathed in super-heated air hurtled towards it. It raised its protective barrier and steeled its self for the impact. The Hammer slammed into the field of violet energy with enough kinetic energy to reduce a city to dust shattering it and piercing the Daemon trough the head before finally lodging itself in the ground pinning the beast. A thunderclap echoed through the barren wastes as the shockwave rushed out in all directions.

* * *

The command center erupted into cheers. For all intents and purposes the Daemon appeared to be dead.

"Status Report!" Gendo's sharp voice cut through the revelry. All became quiet as the bridge technicians returned to their work stations.

"The Magi are still picking up energy readings from the target!" Lt. Aoba shouted.

"Damn it!" the Commander roared slamming a fist down on the consul in front of him.

"Magi estimate that the target will resume its attack in two hours!" Maya called. On the screen the surviving Sabre drones showed the Daemon pinned to the ground black ichor pouring from the ruins of its face. One of its hands began to twitch before reaching up trying to pull the rod from its head.

"So it can regenerate." Stated Fuyutski amazed and sickened at the same time.

"It would not be able to function as an independent unit if it could not." Replied the Commander grimly. He pressed one of the comm buttons before him.

"Dr. Akagi," He addressed the head of Project Marauder.

"Yes Gendo?" Ritsuko responded sounding haggard. She felt the same way too, having done nothing but work since the accident involving Rei in the MK2

"It's Commander Ikari while we are at work," He reminded her. He had never really minded that his step daughter referred to him by his first name, but while at work he was a professional and he required all his subordinates to act as such even if they were family.

"Sorry," She apologized wearily. "What can I do for you?"

"How soon can Marauder Unit 1 be ready for launch?" Ritsuko could tell by his tone that he was not taking this lightly.

"We don't have a pilot if Rei goes out she'll die for sure!" She exclaimed. It then dawned on her what he was planning. "You can't possibly be thinking of using Shinji!? She doesn't have any training or interface Implants! For god's sake Gendo she's blind how do you expect her to fight!?"

"I wish there was another way," he responded wearily.

"We have no other option, you know as well as I do that the Marauders are our only hope now." His voice was cold, his word final. Ritsuko let out a heavy sigh.

"The cool down process will take at least thirty minutes. The cycling and loading another fifteen. And reactivation at least forty five." Commander Ikari suppressed a sigh, that was cutting it extremely close.

"I can try my best to get everything moving faster, but I can't make any promises," Ritsuko added.

"Make it so Doctor."

"Sir." The comm went dead. Fuyutski looked at his friend like he had gone mad. One of his daughters lay dying in a hospital bed and now he was planning on sending the other to what was most certainly her death.

"Are you sure about this Ikari?" He asked voicing his doubts with the man's intentions.

"There are no other options, without the Marauder we will all die."

"And what makes you sure that Shinji will pilot? Given everything that's she's been through because of that machine I doubt you will even be able to get her near it let alone inside of it."

"Because as much as it's taken away there is still one thing it can give her." Kozo arched an eyebrow at his words.

"What's that?" He sounded rather dubious.

"Her sight."

* * *

Misato Katsuragi screamed in terror as a massive pillar of metal punched through the ceiling of the tunnel before the car. She jerked the steering wheel to the right trying to avoid slamming headlong into the obstruction, but her reaction time was not fast enough. A portion of the front driver's side of the vehicle slammed into the tungsten rod at well over a hundred miles an hour. The vehicles momentum was suddenly arrested with violent results. The driver's side crumpled in while the inertia of the vehicles rear which was still trying to move forward forced the car to flip end over end.

Shinji cried out in pain and fear, desperately holding onto Fenrir to keep the husky from being thrown about the cabin as the car flipped through the air. The vehicle landed heavily on its roof crushing it in before finally skidding to a halt several hundred feet away from the point of impact.

The sensation of something warm running down her side roused Misato from unconsciousness. Her first thought was that she had voided her bladder, but realized as her crash addled brain rebooted that her bladder was not on the left side of her body. She was bleeding and badly by the feel of it. She was hanging part of the way out of the driver side window; a piece of the shattered glass had pierced her flesh just under her rib cage. She tried to move, but her legs were pinned between the seat and the dashboard. She let out a cry of pain as she pulled harder, her legs coming free with a sickening snap. She had broken her ankle in the process. Misato dragged herself the rest of the way out of the twisted wreckage that had once been her precious car. She sat on the ground breathing heavily, the wound on her side spilling more blood with every breath she took. She looked down at herself and despaired, her favorite dress was now in tatters. 'Oh Shit! Shinji!' she thought remembering her passenger. She stood and let out another cry of pain as her damaged ankle gave way and she collapsed on the ground.

Getting on her hands and knees, Misato began to crawl around to the passenger side of the car grimacing as pieces of broken glass and metal dug into the soft flesh of her palms and bare legs.

"Shinji!" she cried out seeing the teenaged girl lying face down on the tunnel's road way. She had been thrown from the car when it had landed. Fenrir was besides her nudging the girls shoulder with his muzzle whining worriedly. "Oh my god Shinji!" Misato drug herself to the girl's side and rolled her over. She felt for her pulse and sighed with relief, she was still alive. A large lump had formed on her head where it had made contact with the pavement when she landed; a stream of blood ran from her hair line down the side of her face. Her sunglasses had shattered and part of the lens had lodged its self under her left eye. Misato checked her for other injuries. Shinji was covered in lacerations and bruises, but had no broken bones.

"Shinji!" She called shaking the girl's shoulder. "Shinji are you okay?" The girl groaned and her eyes fluttered open giving Misato a brief glimpse of ocean blue orbs before closing again. Her head lulled to the side and she was still. She had a concussion.

"I'm going to get you to a doctor I promise," She vowed to the unconscious teenager. With a herculean Misato stood, biting back a scream as her damaged ankle protested, tears of pain running down her face. The edges of her vision fuzzed and a wave of dizziness passed over her, she doubled over and vomited. She was going into shock. Misato leaned against the wall of the tunnel to keep from falling over. She was losing blood too fast. She slipped off her jacket and cinched it around her side trying to staunch the blood flow.

"Good thing she's lite," Misato said to no one as she picked up the girl and flung her over her shoulder in a fireman's carry. 'I made a promise to get her to base and that's what I'm going to do,' Misato thought as she limped off down the tunnel with Fenrir trotting behind her. 'Even if I die trying.'

* * *

You have been reading

**Shattered Glass**

Chapter One: The Coming of the Third

_By the pricking of my thumbs something wicked this way comes_

* * *

A/N: Bit of a cliff hanger there. Next chapter Marauder 1 gets activated and we meet some more of our leading players. Until next update so long and good night. –Jalen of the Silence.


	3. Book1 Chp2 Waking the Beast

Daemon Disclaimer: Bastard spawn of Eve claims he does not own Neon Genesis Evangelion.

A/N: After four weeks three revisions and one heartbreak I present to you chapter two. Be aware that I am a man in his twenties and therefore do not have perfect working knowledge of a teenaged girl's mind. So I apologize beforehand if what Shinji says or does, does not fall in line with what an average girl her age would. Anyway enough of my ramblings enjoy the show.

* * *

The First Book of the Slayer

Known as the Second Genesis

Chapter 2: Waking the Beast

It is said that twins share a special connection with one another, a unique bond that tethers them together. There have been reports of twins being able to sense each other's emotions and in extreme cases sympathetic injuries. It was such a bond that Shinji shared with her sister Rei. Though during Shinji's time at the Academy her connection had faded due to the distance and the electromagnetic fields surrounding the domes, the closer she got to New Sydney the stronger it had become. And through this link, this tethering of two minds, Shinji, in her unconscious state, was able to send her sister a message.

'I'm coming Rei please hang on.'

'I'm sorry Shinji, I love you.' Even in her thoughts Rei's voice was weak and strained.

'Rei no!'

'Good bye….'

'REI!' A wave of excruciating pain washed over Shinji's mind, it was the pain Rei was feeling and it forced her out of her concussion induced sleep state. She tried to focus, but she could not, her thoughts and senses a confusing haze. She felt drunk, like the time her dorm mate had a snuck a bottle of Captain Morgan in to their room, she had been hammered for two days after that. She felt like she was moving, but she wasn't walking that's when she realized she was being carried.

"Mi- Misato?" Shinji groaned.

"Oh, Shinji you're awake," Misato exhaled a sigh of relief; she was starting to worry that Shinji had lapsed into a coma. "How you feeling?"

"Did you get the number of the truck that hit us?"

"You can blame your father for that," Misato replied. Her voice sounded labored like she was struggling to breath let alone talk. "Do you think you can walk?"

"Yeah I think so," Shinji answered. She wasn't sure if she could, but she could feel the cold sweat soaking through Misato's blouse and into her own shirt. She knew the woman was barely able to stay standing anymore let alone continue to carry her. If Misato keeled over now than the two were as good as dead. Misato slipped the girl off her shoulder and set her down as gently as she could. Shinji swayed slightly still feeling disoriented.

"Where's Fenrir?" she asked worriedly. He nudged her hand and started to lick her fingers as if to answer her question, happy to see that his master was okay. Shinji was relieved he was still with them; she would be utterly lost without the dog in more than one sense of the word.

"Come on, we need to keep moving," Misato urged. Shinji grabbed onto the handle of Fenrir's harness feeling strangely complete as she did so and the pair began their journey down the tunnel once more. They walked in relative silence for several minutes the only sounds Fenrir's panting and an occasional grunt of pain from Misato. Suddenly the woman stumbled and without thinking put her hand on her younger companion's shoulder to steady herself. Shinji's body immediately stiffened every sense screaming danger. She had to fight the powerful urge she had to shove the woman's hand off.

"Shit, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to," She apologized profusely removing her hand. "It's just my leg is really messed up."

"It's fine." She did not sound fine, but was apparently willing to let it go. It was not like it had been intentional. Shinji could not really say anything to the contrary anyway as Misato had been carrying her since the wreck even though her leg was damaged. In essence the woman had saved her life despite the fact that they barely knew each other.

'I wonder if it was because she was ordered to protect me, or because she's just a good person.' Shinji thought as the two resumed their trek. It was several minutes later when Misato once again lost her footing, her damaged leg beginning to give under the relentless abuse. The fact that Misato had managed to get as far as she had was a testament to the director of Operations' survival training and tolerance for pain. Before she could fall, however, Shinji reached out and placed an arm across her stomach to steady her.

"You can lean on me if you want," Shinji offered, though she did not sound very enthusiastic about the whole idea. In fact it down right terrified her, but the reality of the situation was that if the Major's leg were to give out completely Shinji would have to drag Misato the rest of the way. Something she knew she was not physically capable of doing. Not that Misato was overweight by any means, but Shinji was rather small for her age and the older woman was a foot taller and had at least fifty pounds on her. Though it was all muscle, she was an enlisted soldier after all; one of the rare few officers that had worked their way up to their post and even rarer still that she was a woman. Despite her cheerful outward attitude Misato Katsuragi was hardcore where it counted.

"Are you sure?" She questioned surprised.

"It's not like I have much of a choice, I can't carry you," Said a reluctant Shinji. Misato wrapped her arm around Shinji's shoulders and leaned on her sighing as the weight was transferred from her protesting ankle. After she finished adjusting herself the pair started off again albeit at a much slower pace with Shinji struggling to support the limping woman. Fortunately the duo did not have to walk long as the sounds of an electric engine approaching them were heard off in the distance. Fenrir began to bark excitedly the noise echoing off the walls of the empty tunnel. Help was coming for his master! Shinji felt Misato slip her arm from her shoulders and the woman hobbled forward.

"Hey!" She shouted waving her arms at the vehicle as it neared them. "Hey stop we need help!" The car came to a stop with a squeal of brakes and the driver's side door opened.

"Major Katsuragi?" A confused and relieved voice asked with a Russian accent.

"Nicolai?" Misato called bringing her hand up to her eyes trying to make out the silhouette of the driver through the glare of the headlights. The car door closed and the head lamps cut out revealing the man in question. He was tall with close cropped dirty blonde hair and piercing green eyes. He wore crimson and black camouflage ACUs that fit snugly over his well-muscled frame. The rank of Warrant Officer was embroidered on the shoulders of his uniform jacket.

"Nicolai it is you!" Misato exclaimed overjoyed to see a familiar face. Now she could finally take all her weight off her busted ankle instead having to limp the rest of the way to the base using her touch phobic charge as a crutch. "You have no idea how happy I am to see you, what the hell are you doing out here anyway?"

"When you didn't report in after the Hammer was dropped I was sent out to find you, and I have to tell you I am beyond glad to see you alive," said the Russian man.

"Yeah no thanks to the Commander, the Hammer broke through the roof of the tunnel and nearly crushed us!"

"What's the Hammer? Is that what we crashed into?" Shinji asked tired of being left out of the conversation. She sighed inwardly swearing that people always seemed to forget that she was there if she did not say anything despite the fact that she was accompanied by a dog that was for all intents and purposes a small wolf.

"Oh I'm so sorry Shinji where are my manners," Misato apologized rubbing the back of her head sheepishly. "This is Warrant Officer Nicolai Hebb; he is the head of the weapons division at U.N.D.E.A.D. Nicolai this is the Commander's daughter Shinji."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, though I wish it were under better circumstances," Nicolai said extending his hand to Shinji in order to shake hers. Misato gave him a look shaking her head. His hand hovered in the air for a fraction of a second before he withdrew it.

"As to what the Hammer is," he began, quickly recovering from the awkward moment. "It is a three thousand ton tungsten steel rod fired at high velocity from an orbital platform. It is a pure Kinect force weapon that impacts its target with enough power to reduce a city the size New Sydney to dust."

"Why would they fire something so powerful so close to the city?!" The blind teen asked incredulously. She knew her father could be a little hot blooded sometimes, but that sounded reckless even for him.

"Because the Daemon managed to shrug off two divisions of Leviathans and a Squadron of Utahs. The Hammer was a last resort weapon, at the time it seemed better than the alternative, but even that barely managed to slow it down." Nicolai retorted grim faced.

"So what's our next move?" Misato interjected. There was only one other thing that she could think of the Commander doing, it seemed that her promise to Shinji would be broken after all.

"Commander Ikari has ordered the Launch of Marauder MK1." He reported the news with a grave tone. Nicolai was just as unhappy with the prospect of sending the untested and unstable battle Mech into combat as the Major even more so considering who their only viable pilot candidate was. Nicolai Hebb was a bit of an old fashioned solider and was of the firm belief that combat was a man's job and the thought of sending a teenaged girl, a blind one with no training or experience at that, left a bad taste in his mouth. Nicolai also knew that their hands were tied and this small, frail sightless sixteen year old girl was humanities last hope against total annihilation.

"This is insane!" Misato yelled. She was furious. She could honestly say that she believed that Shinji's father had lost his mind. Rei was injured and if he sent Shinji out there to fight she could end up in a hospital bed next to her or worse. "Isn't there another way?"

"I'm afraid that there is not," said the Warrant Officer in a tone as final as death. "Normally we would have just sortied the MK2, but as its pilot is incapacitated that is no longer an option. If we do not launch Marauder 1 _we will all die_."

"But…" Misato protested weakly.

"I'll do it," Shinji announced with a conviction that Misato had never heard before in anyone.

"Shinji…" She looked at the girl who stood in the darkened tunnel visibly shaking with fear, her fists clenched and here she was volunteering to climb into a forty meter tall death machine and fight an extra dimensional being that they barely understood.

"No, Nicolai is right if I don't pilot we'll die, me, you, Rei, everyone. So I'll do it okay? Now hurry up and take me there before I change my mind." Even as she said this Shinji's voice was already starting to waiver, her conviction faltering. She took a deep breath and steeled herself, after all if her sister could do it than so could she. Then again Rei had always been the brave one.

"Right than," Nicolai stated clapping his large hands together. "Let's move out!" He headed back towards his car followed by a reluctant Misato. Fenrir trotted after them dragging Shinji along. Nicolai opened the back driver side door and the husky jumped in while Shinji slid in beside him. The Russian climbed into the driver's seat, the door closing with a solid thud. Misato was the last one in.

"Bye the way Major," He addressed the woman as she closed the door. She looked over at him curiously.

"Yes Warrant Officer?"

"You look like hell." Indeed she did, while Shinji had only sustained minor injuries in the accident, Misato looked like she had gone through the polishing cycle of a rock tumbler, with her bruised and battered body covered in lacerations and blood.

"Shut up jerk!" She growled, punching him in the arm as he turned the vehicle around and began driving back towards the base. She wore a small smile the whole time.

* * *

"All civilians have been evacuated to the shelters!" 1st Lt. Ibuki called from her station. The last of the subterranean shelters having had just reported to her that all registered citizens in their area were accounted for.

"Excellent," commented Commander Ikari. "What of the intercept systems?"

"Intercept systems at one hundred percent deployment all non-combative blocks have been retracted!" Lt. Hyuga reported. On the surface the last of the residential blocks of the city sank into the ground for protection. During times of peace New Sydney was a sprawling metropolis full of industry and progress, but when attacked it was capable of an amazing transformation, the buildings retracting below street level to reveals its true form, for at its heart New Sydney was a war machine. A fortress to defend all humanity from threats of the nightmare realm beyond the veil.

"Sir!" Lt. Aoba shouted, typing furiously on his keyboard. "The target has resumed its course it will make contact with sector 77 in twenty minutes!" An image fed from the dome's perimeter cameras appeared on the Holo display showing the Daemon approaching once more. It had managed to pull the Hammer from its head and was dragging the rod behind it much like a caveman with a club as it stalked ever closer to them.

"I want the field barrier in that sector at maximum!" ordered Commander Ikari.

"Negative, the EMF generators in Sector 77 was knocked out from the Hammer's shock wave!" Maya cried as the consul rejected her commands to bring the barrier online, error messages filled her screen.

"Damn it!" Gendo roared slamming his fist down on the consul before him. The bridge looked back at the Commander concerned. The man was known to be hot blooded, but they had yet to see him have an outburst like that especially two in a row. Yet they knew why, he was in an incredibly tough position and had to make several hard decisions in the course of a few short hours, decisions that had cost men with families their very lives. If there had been more warning than they would have been more prepared and he may have not had to make the calls that he had.

"Warrant Officer Hebb has just reported in!" Hyuga called relaying the information he was receiving over his headset. "He says that he has the Major and the Third Child with him, they are on their way to the cages now!"

"Thank god," Gendo exhaled feeling as if a massive weight had suddenly lifted from his shoulders. Though the thought of sending his daughter out to fight left him feeling ill it was as everyone kept saying, she was their last hope. It was unfortunately one of the tough choices he had to make as the man tasked with defense of humanity, it did not settle well with him. He prayed that she would come back safely to him he as could not bear to lose both of his daughters. Even though Rei was not yet dead she was losing the fight for her life and he had since given up hope that she would recover.

"Dr. Akagi," he spoke addressing his step daughter through the comm. "What is the status of Marauder 1?"

"Ready for launch," Ritsuko replied, sounding impossibly tired. She had been working at a super human pace to get the biomechanical behemoth ready for combat coupled with the fact that she had already been awake for the past seventy two hours tending to her step sister's injuries, she was the only doctor that Gendo trusted with her, Ritsuko Akagi felt like she was on the verge of collapsing out of sheer exhaustion. She had help of course from the Marauder's repair and weapons crews and even the head of the weapons department before he had ducked out to search for the Major and her charge, but it still had been a monumental task especially on such short notice.

"Excellent," Commander Ikari breathed. "You did good Ritsuko get some rest you deserve it."

"I'm going to go check on Rei first, but before I do I just want to say thanks," She intoned.

"For what?"

"Well if we don't make it through this I thought I would thank you for being there for me. Even if you aren't with my mother anymore you still have been more of a father to me than my own, so thank you…dad." Gendo smiled behind his hands at her words. Even if they were said out of the fear of dying it was still the first time she had ever called him dad and it meant a lot to him.

"Don't worry I have the upmost faith in Shinji. She will pull through for us, this I know."

"I hope you're right for her sake not just ours," and with that the line went dead. Gendo sighed heavily and stood turning to face his second in command and closest friend.

"I'm going down to the cages, I trust you can take it from here," he said to Fuyutsuki as he walked over to his personnel lift.

"I may be old, but I'm not that old," Kozo stated cracking a grin. "See you on the other side my friend." Gendo favored him with a smile and nodded as the lift took him from the bridge down to the cages.

'Their first meeting in a year,' Kozo thought turning his attention back to the view screen watching the Daemon as it strode ever nearer, its approach as inescapable as death. 'I pray that you know what you're doing.'

* * *

The trip through the long, sterile, labyrinthine halls of U.N.D.E.A.D proper had been relatively uneventful save for Misato's broken ankle giving out on her completely. It was a surprise that it had not happened sooner given the severity of the injury and the amount of blood she had lost. This of course prompted Nicolai to carry her bridal style the rest of their journey. Misato, being the independent woman that she was, had at first protested saying that all she needed was someone to lean on, but relented after it became apparent that she could no longer put any weight what so ever on the damaged appendage. So for now she was forced to bury her head in Nicolai's shoulder in order to hide from him the embarrassment she felt from being carried in such an intimate manner. She still did not understand why he had chosen to carry her like this instead of on his back. Probably to show off how strong he was being a typical man. Or maybe it was a Russian thing, she would more than likely never know.

They traveled quickly and in silence, the two officers deciding it best to let Shinji concentrate on maintaining her resolve to pilot.

"Would anyone like to tell me why there's a lake in the middle of an underground base?" Shinji questioned perturbed as the trio climbed into a boat that would take them across the pool of coolant that filled most of the Marauder cages.

"It's not a lake, its coolant, it fills most of the cages makes the initialization process easier," the Warrant Officer explained starting the small boat's engine, well if it could be called a boat it was more of a rubber life raft, and proceeding to navigate it across the liquid filled expanse. Though Nicolai spoke Japanese fluently his accent made it hard for Shinji to understand him as it was so thick. Judging by this Shinji was able to tell that he was a full blooded Russian which was strange given that most of the immigrants to Australia after the flooding of the Northern countries had long since intermingled with the local populace, their accents and dialects left forgotten. Shinji herself was only half Japanese; her parents being the product of inter marriage between Japanese refugees and Australian relief workers. Shinji posed no other questions as they traversed the coolant, too preoccupied with not falling out of the boat and drowning. She had never bothered to learn to swim; humans were not made to float after all. As soon as it begun the trip was over and the trio disembarked the vessel, the Warrant Officer once again carrying Misato in his arms. She was starting to get the feeling he was purposely doing it to embarrass her. It was not that the two did not get along; far from it actually, it was that they had gotten into aggravating each other out of humor in order to break up the monotony of their normally boring day. Though those days seemed to be behind them now due to the reappearance of the Daemons, but as the saying goes old habits die hard.

"Well this is it," Nicolai announced as they entered the dark cage, the door closed behind them plunging the room into darkness. Though this did not affect Shinji in the slightest of course given that she had lived the last twelve years of her life in darkness it made Misato feel very uncomfortable. The Major hated to be anywhere near the Marauders finding the engines of destruction's design very unnerving and to be this close to one especially in the dark sent chills down her spine. It felt as if the great machine was watching them even through the pitch. Without warning the lights in the cages snapped on reviling the metal monstrosity in all its deadly glory. While the Warrant Officer and Shinji did not react being this was a common sight for one and the other could not see at all respectively, Misato recoiled in Nicolai's grip. Despite the fact that both units bothered her, she found the MK1 to be the more disturbing of the two Marauder units that U.N.D.E.A.D central housed. It was massive, which said much about the size of the hanger they were in as they were standing on a bridge that was nearly eye level with the machine, and painted mostly black with crimson highlights along the edges of the visible parts of its shoulders. The Marauder stared down at them with its empty green forward optics; out of everything it was the machines face that bothered the Director of Operations the most. It reminded her of a death mask for an evil Egyptian god with its elongated chin and demonic grin. The single blood red stripped horn that jutted from its head did not help to reduce the air of menace that hung around the machine though its purpose was more practical than aesthetic since it housed a good portion of the units communication systems, the rest being in the radial fin that ran horizontally along the back of the Marauder's helm. She had often wondered why something that was supposed to protect them had been designed to look so frightening. Was it supposed to intimidate the enemy?

"So what equipment has it been loaded out with?" Misato asked finally after observing the Bio Mech apprehensively for several long moments.

"Delta pattern Heavy Burst Cannon on left arm and Hell Fire MRM pods mounted on the shoulders. It's also been outfitted with the Shock Trooper armor module. I wasn't about to send Shinji out there without some kind of protection," Nicolai responded pride detectable in his voice. He was responsible for the Marauders' weapons and armors after all, the current gear a pattern of his own design representing hours of hard work and pure human ingenuity.

"If the Daemon survived getting hit with something as powerful as the Hammer what good are bullets and missiles going to do, even if they're scaled up?" Shinji asked unconvinced with the effectiveness of the Marauders load out.

"Because they are no ordinary bullets or missiles," A voice spoke from behind them. The trio turned around to discover the source to be none other than the Commander.

"Daddy!" Shinji cried running over to where she heard her father. Misato watched with raised eyebrows as the girl threw her arms around the man and buried her face in his chest. Shinji inhaled deeply breathing in the familiar musky scent of his cologne. It was a comforting smell one that she missed greatly.

"I missed you", she murmured happily.

"I've missed you as well," the Commander replied returning his daughter's hug, he sounded tired. "I regret that we are meeting under such circumstances though. I really wish that I didn't have to ask you to do this." Misato watched this exchange intrigued she had never seen her superior act this way; he was normally so….well not so much reserved, but in control. For the first time since she started at U.N.D.E.A.D Misato was allowed to see past the mask that was "the Commander" and look upon the man beneath. The real Gendo Ikari, a man who literally had the weight of the world on his shoulders and a father who by a cruel twist of fate was forced to ask his blind teenaged daughter to save the world. The person who stood before her was indeed a tired man and Misato wished that her own father had been more like him.

"Do you really think I can do this?" Shinji asked pulling away from the only person besides Rei that she allowed touching her. She trusted her family; after all they had never given her a reason to believe they would hurt her.

"I know you can," Gendo intoned putting as much confidence in his voice as he could. "The MK1 was built with you in mind." Shinji shuddered at his words remembering a time when she, like her sister had been slated for training to be a Marauder pilot. That had been before the accident and now here she was twelve years later about to climb into very thing responsible for ruining not only her life, but the lives of her father and sister and fight to the death a being whose sole purpose was their total annihilation. Perhaps she had always been destined to pilot the great machine or perhaps the universe had a sick sense of irony and had yet begun to see the girl suffer.

"So what makes this ammunition so special?" Shinji inquired still feeling incredibly uneasy with what she was about to do, but she would do it anyway because if she did not than Shinji would lose the only family she had left. Besides she was the only one who _could _do it and if it meant she was able to protect the people that meant everything to her then Shinji would gladly put her life on the line.

"Each round that the HBC fires are a one ton hollow point shell tipped with pure silver while the Hell Fire MRMs have diamond coated drill tips that should penetrate just about anything and deliver a five second delay warhead with a four kiloton nuclear yield," explained Nicolai his chest swelling with pride. "I designed them myself."

"All I heard was 'we shoot really expensive stuff at it and hope it dies'," Shinji remarked dryly. Nicolai opened his mouth to argue, but was cut off as the base was rocked by an impact tremor.

"Commander, the Daemon has begun its assault on the dome!" Maya cried out over the P.A system. "Oh god it's using the Hammer as a bludgeon to break through!"

"Shit!" Gendo swore sharply before his face turned cold, the mask of "The Commander" replacing that of the loving father. Commander Ikari strode up to Nicolai and then turned so that his back was facing the man.

"Major Katsuragi if you would be so kind as to accompany me to the Command deck," he said. Nicolai transferred the woman from his arms to Commander Ikari's back. Misato blushed as she was forced to be carried yet again by another man, her commanding officer no less. At least it was piggy back and not bridal style. She would probably have died from embarrassment if he had chosen to transport her the same way Nicolai had. After he had securely wrapped his arms around her legs just below the knees he turned to look Nicolai in the face.

"Warrant Officer I want Shinji in the control module and prepped for launch by the time I'm back to the bridge." Gendo ordered.

"Sir!" Nicolai sounded off while snapping to attention and saluting the Commander.

"Come back to me safely Shinji," Gendo said warmly as he walked passed her, pausing only for a second to place a gentle kiss on the top of the girl's head.

"I promise."

"Than good luck Pilot Ikari our hopes our rest solely on your shoulders," Commander Ikari intoned heavily before taking off towards the lift that would take him and the Major back to the command deck at a fast jog whistling for Fenrir as he did so. The large husky looked between Shinji and her father unsure if he should stay with his master or follow the alpha male of his pack.

"Go on," Shinji urged him giving the dog a quick scratch behind his ears. "Don't worry I'll be okay without you for a little while." Sensing his master's unease Fenrir gave her hand a comforting lick before grudgingly obeying the order, trotting after the alpha male and the raven haired female.

"Alright there's not much time," Warrant Officer Hebb said once the pair had exited the hanger, turning and guiding the girl up the flight of stairs that led to the platform on which the pill shaped control module rested.

"We don't have a control suit for you so you're gonna have to strip from the waste up," Nicolai commanded coming to a stop beside the module.

"All of it?" She asked, a blush forming on her pale cheeks.

"All of it." Shinji let out a heavy sigh before complying.

"Can you at least turn around?" She asked embarrassed, just because she could not see anyone else naked did not mean she wanted other people to see her in any state of nudity especially a strange man she barely knew.

"As you wish," Nicolai stated before making an about face and staring at the Marauder's control module. He listened to the rustling of clothes as Shinji removed her uniform jacket and dress shirt dropping them to the ground unceremoniously, tapping his foot impatiently all the while.

"Okay you can look now," Shinji informed the large Russian. Nicolai turned and sighed in annoyance at the sight he saw. Shinji stood with her arms crossed over her small chest, goose bumps forming on her exposed flesh as the cold air of the cage assaulted her; she was still wearing a black and white sports bra.

"I said all of it," He spoke exasperated.

"Oh come on, it's bad enough I have to pilot the stupid thing," the girl whined. "Why do I have to do it half naked?"

"Fine," Nicolai sighed. "Turn around." Shinji obeyed grumbling to herself about how the people at U.N.D.E.A.D were a bunch of perverts. Nicolai, ignoring her comments, pulled the combat knife from his boot and approached her. Shinji let out a squeak of fear as he grabbed onto the back of her sports bra and sliced open the webbing of fabric that covered most her upper back exposing even more of her to the frigid air.

"What the hell!?" Shinji shouted whirling around and glaring daggers at the man with her sightless eyes. Nicolai recoiled slightly at her reaction, this was the first time he had heard her curse.

"Your back has to be exposed as much as possible," he replied simply, returning his knife to its sheath within his boot.

"For what?" She demanded pissed off that Nicolai had just ruined her favorite bra.

"It's complicated."

"Whatever," Shinji huffed. "I still think you're just trying to perv on me." Nicolai pinched the bridge of his nose in annoyance. He was starting to see just how much of the Commander's blood flowed through the girl's veins. 'She reminds me of Asuka,' he thought recalling his brief encounter with the ill-tempered pilot of the MK3. 'Maybe she'll be okay after all.'

"Alright time to get into the control tampon," Nicolai announced clapping his hands together attempting to lighten the mood with the joke.

"Control tampon?" Shinji questioned incredulously.

"It's a joke, some of the guys in the weapons department started calling it that 'cause it looks like a giant metal tampon."

"So does that mean I'm going to be piloting from its crotch?" Shinji laughed.

"No, the module gets plugged into the Marauder's back," Nicolai retorted. "Now give me your hand and I'll help you in." Shinji hesitantly extended her arm out to him. Nicolai gently took her small hand in his and helped her step over the lip of the module and down into the pilot seat.

"You ready?" inquired Nicolai after watching Shinji squirm around in the seat trying to get comfortable for several seconds. Shinji turned her head in his direction with an 'are you serious?' look on her face. Despite the act she was putting on he could see the unadulterated fear in her sightless storm blue eyes.

"Look I know you're scared," Nicolai began. And he did understand he had seen more combat in his short life than most of the people at UN.D.E.A.D even Major Katsuragi. If anyone knew how frightening battle actually was it would be Nicolai Hebb. "I've seen my fair share of fighting and it terrifies me even now and I hate the fact that we are asking an untrained kid like you to fight for us, I would gladly trade places with you if I could, but your father believes you can do this and I would follow that man to hell and back so if he can put his faith in you so can I. If you're anything like the Commander then I know you'll make it through this okay."

"You really think so?" She asked feeling slightly more empowered by the soldier's speech.

"Yes and if I'm wrong and we all die I'll wait for you on the other side and let you kick my ass," Nicolai joked trying to put much as much of a smile in his words as possible.

"I'll hold you to that," Shinji said with a small nod, a ghost of a smile gracing her lips. "Now load me up before I completely lose my nerve." Without another word Nicolai closed the hatch over the cock pit and sealed it. He knocked on the hatch to confirm she was ready and Shinji knocked back in response. Nodding to himself Nicolai turned and flew down the stairs, running across the docking bridge to the control consul on the other side of the cage. Nicolai vaulted over the computer bank and landed heavily in the chair on the other side dragging it up to the keyboard, cracking his knuckles before furiously typing in the commands that would activate the insertion crane.

"Good luck kid," he said to no one as he watched the crane lift the module off the platform and move it into position at the base of the Marauder's neck.

"Control Module awaiting insertion," Nicolai reported over the comm.

"Good work, Warrant Officer, we'll take it from here," The Commander responded.

"One more thing Commander," Nicolai stated.

"Yes?"

"I think I owe Shinji a new bra, I kinda had to cut open the back of the one she has on."

"I'll make sure to deduct it from your next pay check Warrant Officer," the Commander chuckled. "Now if there is nothing else than report to the command deck."

"Actually sir I was wondering if I could spend the fight down in the work shop with my men. If there's a chance that we're going to die than I want to spend my last moments with my sister and my friends."

"Request granted Warrant Officer," Replied Commander Ikari. Who was he to deny the man as such anyway? Even with the faith that he had in his daughter Gendo knew there was still a chance of her failing and he was not going to keep a man from his loved ones on what was possibly his last day on earth.

"Thank you sir, it's been an honor to serve under you."

"Negative Warrant Officer, we're not dead yet," The Commander replied and with that the comm went dead. Nicolai stood, but stumbled as the base was rocked by another impact tremor, grabbing on to the corner of the computer bank to prevent himself from falling.

"The Daemon has breached the dome and is now entering Sector 77!" 1st Lt. Ibuki reported over the P.A system. 'Guess that's my cue to leave,' Nicolai thought giving the control module one final look before running out of the cages towards the lift that would take him down to the maze of workshops that made up the weapons department of U.N.D.E.A.D.

* * *

Shinji sat in the darkness of the control module waiting. It was the waiting that was putting her on edge, not the pitch blackness or the silence of the unpowered cock pit, though the dulling of her auditory sense did bother her being that it was how she mainly perceived the world. No it wasn't the sensory deprivation effect of the module that was getting to Shinji; it was the anticipation that was wearing away at her already shaky resolve. After what seemed like hours even though it was only a couple of minutes the control module began to move again as the Command Deck took over the startup procedures. Without warning the module began to spin and Shinji had to hold onto the seat to keep from being thrown about as the module was screwed into the Marauders neck at a forty five degree angle before coming to a stop with a dull thud. The module's internal systems switched on with a steady hum as it was connected to the Marauder's cold fusion power core, the darkness pierced by a menagerie lights. Not that Shinji could appreciate the show.

"Control Module inserted power systems connected and operating at one hundred percent," a warm female voice reported over the module's communications systems, the empty expanse of the cock pit giving it a hollow metallic echo. Shinji decided she liked the owner of the voice, she sounded friendly.

"Excellent," a male voice spoke, it was her father. "Shinji can you hear me?"

"I can hear you," Shinji responded.

"Are you ready?"

"As ready as I'll ever be I guess."

"Initiating first level interface," the female voice spoke. "Flooding module." The sound of rushing water reached Shinji's ears.

"He-hey wha... what the hell are you doing!?" Shinji cried out in panic. The level of fluid was rising rapidly, soaking through her loafers and reaching up to her knees. Whatever the substance was it felt sticky against the bare skin of her legs and smelled strongly of blood.

"Calm down!" Her father commanded. "Once your lungs are saturated with the LCL you'll be able to undergo direct oxygen exchange." Shinji ignored her father's words too busy panicking to actually comprehend what he was saying as she tried to crawl up the back of the pilot's seat in an attempt to get away from the ever rising liquid. Her attempts to flee, however, were thwarted by the restraints that had clamped down on her legs and waist when the module powered up, holding her firmly in place. She cried out in terror as her fear of drowning seemed to become reality. Shinji sucked in one last breath as the LCL passed over her head. But she could not hold her breath forever and her lungs began to scream for fresh air forcing her to open her mouth. Shinji exhaled then gagged as the LCL rushed into her lungs to fill the empty void. It tasted even more like blood than it smelled.

"I… I can breathe?" She said, confused that she was not drowning.

"Yes the LCL is a breathable liquid designed to help increase the neural connections between you and the Marauder as well as help absorb shock from impacts," Gendo explained to her.

"Fat lot of good it did Rei," Shinji grumbled annoyed with being submerged in the sticky fluid. It would take forever for her to wash it off. What was even worse was that it gave her the sensation that she was floating in a pool of blood. Coupled with that fact and the steady thrum of the module's power supply, she felt as if she was in the womb of some great beast.

"Charging LCL," the voice of the female technician informed. Suddenly there came a pulse of electricity through the liquid that tickled Shinji's skin. She giggled despite herself and the smell of blood was gone.

"Alright Shinji I need you to listen to me very carefully," Gendo instructed.

"Okay…."

"Now lean forward and grab the butterfly controls." Shinji did as her father told her leaning forward and wrapping her hands around the rubber grips of the plastic controls in front of her. The only buttons she felt were two finger triggers, one on each handle.

"Remember when you were little and you used to sing for me?" Gendo asked.

"Yeah….?"

"I want you to sing for me now." It seemed more of an order than a request.

"I… I don't understand," Shinji said confused as to why her father wanted her to sing for him now of all times. He had not asked her to sing in years, it seemed rather strange and a little embarrassing considering she was sure everyone on the Command Deck could hear her.

"Please, for me?"

"Okay? What do you want me to sing?"

"Whatever you want my precious Shin-chan." Shinji thrilled, her father had not called her by that since she had turned four, and it reminded her of a simpler time, a time when they had all been happy. Without another thought she began to sing a classical American rock song.

"For so long I have felt alone, content to live with unrest," Shinji sang out humming the guitar parts in between the words.

"Longing faded into countless nights that buried my weary heart," She began to lose herself in the lyrics. It was one of her favorite songs and for a moment Shinji forgot that she was sitting in a war machine. Imagining instead that she was sitting on the floor in her father's study while he leaned back in his overstuffed chair listening to her like they used to do so long ago.

"But you brought an end to this dead hour and meaning to a calloused life." On the Command Deck several of the technicians were giving the Commander strange looks as Shinji continued to sing wondering why in the world he had her doing this.

"You're having her sing as a distraction aren't you?" Misato asked looking up at the Commander from his seat. He had placed her in his chair when they had returned saying that she needed it more than him at the moment. He only nodded in reply never removing his attention from the module's camera feed.

"1st Lt. Ibuki proceed with level two interface," Commander Ikari ordered. Maya obeyed keying in the proper codes, her heart going out to the girl for the pain she was about to endure. Maya knew that unlike her sister Rei, Shinji did not have the interface transplants.

"These thoughts of you will carry me through the darkest nights," Shinji continued too caught up in the song to notice the back of the pilot's chair split open with a ratcheting click or the row of seven solid steel ten gauge needles that appeared in the split in the seat.

"Firing in three…" Maya reported.

"While your eyes rested in mine."

"Two…"

"I remember the way you looked at me…"

"One…firing…" With a snap hiss the needles launched forward, the seat throttling. Shinji's body went rigid every muscle and tendon standing out in sharp relief against her skin as the needles penetrated key points in her spine. The pain… the pain, it was intense like her back had been flayed open with a white hot knife. She could not speak; she could not cry, it just hurt so much; her back burning like it was on fire, the final line of the song dying in her throat. But she soon found her lungs as the lump in her throat disappeared and she let out a blood curdling scream. The muscles in her back convulsed almost folding her small frame back as her body tried to rid itself of the metal lances, her head colliding with the seat with a sick thump.

The bridge crew cringed as they listened to the girl screaming for her father, for anyone to make the pain stop watching as a red haze of blood floated up and away from her body.

"Initiate level three interface now!" Commander Ikari barked trying to keep the mask of control from cracking. Listening to his daughter scream in agony was killing him knowing that he was the one responsible. It was only just beginning, she was sure to suffer more at the hands of Daemon. The technicians worked frantically to finish the next phase as quickly as possible and bring the girls suffering to an end.

Electrical signals began to flow through the needles directly into her nervous system, the pain slowly dulling and being replaced with a strange new sensation. It felt like she was being stretched out. No not stretched it was more like expanded, but not her body. It was her consciousness that grew becoming aware not only of herself within the cock pit, but of what was outside the Marauder as well. She could feel the LCL currents flowing across her skin as the filters circulated it through the module and the ache of the needles in her spine, but she could also feel the docking restraints against the Marauder's shoulders like they were pressing on her own and the cool chill of the coolant on its Tungsten alloy skin as if there was a cold spot in the LCL.

Shinji had become more than just her flesh body she was now something greater than herself. She was not only Shinji Ikari, but the MK1 as well. One and the same and separate at the same time, the perfect blend of man and machine. The power of the Marauder was hers to command its very core pulsing with every beat of her heart. It made her feel giddy.

"Opening up reciprocal circuits," 1st Lt. Ibuki reported. Another pulse of signals flowed into Shinji's spine followed by another and another, the sensations of the Marauder becoming a little clearer with each. The signal pulses came faster and faster until it became a steady stream of information, anything that she could want to know about the Marauder's systems, its power output, current load out, remaining ammunition, even data on the bridge crew, and it was all being fed directly into her mind thanks to the MK1's connection to the Magi. This was all pushed to the back of her mind though for another gift had been bestowed upon the girl when the final connection was made, a gift that far outweighed having endless knowledge at one's figure tips.

"I CAN SEE!" Shinji exclaimed overcome with joy, tears of happiness streaming down her cheeks before floating off into the LCL.

"I can see…"

Indeed Shinji could see again, not with her eyes, but those of the Marauder. For the price of the agony induced by the interface needles she had been granted that which had been taken from her years ago. Whatever the MK1 saw she saw, the information from its forward optics feeding directly into her Optical Cortex bypassing the damaged nerves of her eyes completely. Shinji raised her hand and waved it in front of her face, but saw nothing. She felt a strange tugging sensation on her arm and heard the groan of metal as the Marauder's arm pulled against its restraints in an attempt to mimic her motion. She turned her head and her view changed as the MK1 moved its head in accordance.

"Incredible, her synch ratio is holding at 45%!" Maya reported.

"This is really trippy," Shinji commented, slowly turning her head to the other side, the Marauder copying the movement albeit slightly out of time serving only to heighten the effect. "It's almost like I'm in two places at once."

"That's the same thing Rei said," Gendo spoke causing Shinji to recoil in shock as his image appeared super imposed over that of the Marauder's camera feed. "She has to keep her eyes closed in the module to prevent getting headaches."

"Dad?" She questioned in disbelief focusing harder on the image, the computers, detecting her shift in attention, expanded the image replacing the view of outside with the link from the bridge entirely. "Is that really you?!"

Gendo nodded and smiled. "Indeed it is."

"You look old," Shinji bluntly stated as she observed the image within her mind. His face was much more sunken than she remembered and he had started to go gray at his temples. He frowned at her comment which only made the wrinkles around his mouth deeper. The image panned out giving her a view of the entire Command Deck. Shinji's face split into a wide grin as her brain processed the image. Words could not describe the elation she felt from being able to see her father, but not just him other people as well. For the first time in twelve years she could see other people! Not just hear and smell them, but actually see them! Their lips moving when they talked, their body language and mannerisms, everything, it was over whelming and it nearly brought her back to tears.

"I hate to ruin this moment we're having, but is everyone forgetting the eldritch horror that happens to be terrorizing the city!?" A long haired man interrupted sounding mildly hysteric. "'Cause it happens to be heading this way!" On the surface the Daemon fired off another burst of dark energy from its eyes as it marched onward towards the heart of the city and subsequently U.N.D.E.A.D central, the resulting explosion rocking the base violently.

"We're underground, but it still seems to know exactly where we are," Major Katsuragi observed.

"Appears that way," Responded Commander Ikari. "Begin launch preparations!" The image of the bridge reduced in size becoming a small square in the corner of Shinji's field of vision, the Marauder's optic feed dominant once more.

"Releasing the primary lock bolts!" 1st Lt. Ibuki reported keying in the command. Within the Marauder Shinji felt the pressure on her shoulders lessen as the restraints that were screwed into the Mech released their hold.

"Release confirmed!" Lt. Aoba called. "Removing the Umbilical Bridge." Shinji watched on through the MK1's eyes fascinated as the bridge she had stood on not that long ago split apart and retracted into the wall.

"Releasing primary and secondary restraints!" a bespectacled technician shouted. Shinji suddenly felt the temperature around the Marauder shift as the coolant was drained away while the very walls of the hangar were pulled back freeing the rest of the death machine.

"Fusion core at maximum output, weapons and targeting online, all systems are green!" Maya reported. "Transporting Marauder MK1 to the launch elevator!" The MK1 lurched as the platform it stood on began to move forward towards the launch pad, the last vestiges of the cage sliding past as it went.

"Wow…" Shinji breathed in amazement when the platform carried her into the massive rail lined room that was the launch way. It all felt so new to her like she was seeing for the first time. Even before the accident Shinji had never encountered anything like this. The sheer scale of it was mind boggling. Suddenly the platform shuddered to a halt and her view changed as it began to rotate around giving her a glimpse of the tunnel she had just come down. There were several more just like it coming from various angles leading to the other Marauder cages. With an echoing clang the platform locked into place beneath one of the launch gates.

"Gate Five standby!" Maya called out. Shinji craned her head back causing the Marauder to look up allowing her to watch as metal plates within the tube retracted one by one revealing a claustrophobia inducing path way that seemed to stretch on for eternity.

"Launch path clear!" Lt Hyuga reported. "All preparations complete!"

"Roger," Misato responded turning her head and looking up at the Commander. "Can we really do this?" Gendo sighed heavily as he looked down at the Major.

"We have no choice," he replied gravely. "If we fail to defeat the Daemon than we have no future." Misato let her gaze linger on her commanding officer a moment longer taking in the mix of emotions he was trying his best to conceal before turning her attention back to the main screen.

"LAUNCH!" With a press of a button powerful electro magnets fired launching the bipedal weapon of mass destruction up the tube towards the surface at breakneck speeds, the g-forces slamming Shinji back into the seat, painfully jostling the needles within her spine.

On the surface the Daemon paused as it sensed something familiar approaching from below. Perhaps the spawn of Eve had simply given up and decided to send the All Mother to it? It would certainly have saved it the trouble of tearing its way down to her. Curiously the Daemon turned towards an intersection to its left, alarms filling the air as the center section split open and retracted into the street. Twin metal polls extended from the gaping hole in the ground mere seconds before the Marauder surfaced, its ascent coming to a violent halt. The Daemon's amusement at the humans' apparent surrender quickly turned to anger as it realized what it had been sensing was not the All Mother, but a copy, a tainted mockery, a _Perversion._

Shinji let out a terrified gasp as she saw the Daemon for the first time. It stood barely a mile down the road from her which in terms of their size was not very far. It…did…not…look…happy.

"This is it Shinji," Misato spoke. "Are you ready?"

Shinji only managed to nod in response as it took all her will power to not scream and beg form them to bring her back down. That, however, was no longer an option.

"Releasing final safety locks!" Maya shouted. The restraints holding humanities last hope to the launch platform disengaged and the Marauder slumped forward now standing under its own power.

"MARAUDER MK1 LIFT OFF!"

* * *

Seventeen year old Toji Suzuhara could proudly state that he did not scare easily. When it came to horror movies, gore fests, and the all-around terrifying reality of the world in which he lived he did not even bat an eyelash. Since his mother had passed and his father worked all the time Toji had to be strong for his little sister Mari, it was his job not to be scared. He was the only one she could depend on, her only port in the storm of life, her unwavering rock of Gibraltar. Tonight, however, was an exception, for the usually unflappable Toji was terrified out of his mind.

It had started out much like any other night with him picking his sister up from school and then helping her with her homework before ordering take out for dinner, but then the alarms had sounded. Thinking it was another drill, they happened every two weeks, Toji unhurriedly ushered his sister outside and towards the nearest shelter, a shelter that just happened to be at the very edge of Sector 77. That's when Toji's night officially went to hell. The streets were in a state of pandemonium. Everywhere people were running as the buildings around them sank into the ground. Everyone knew the city was capable of transforming, but it had never done so not even during the drills. Thanks to their close proximity to Sector 77, the lowering of the buildings afforded them all a glimpse as to just why they were being evacuated. For off in the distance an entity that could put even the most nightmarish Kaiju to shame approached. In a split second the situation devolved into all out chaos as the crowd collectively lost it.

"Mari!" Toji had screamed when his sister was torn from his protective grasp as the frightened masses surged forward towards the shelter sweeping the poor girl up and away from her elder brother. He had tried to give chase, but there were too many people and he quickly lost sight of her in the throng of bodies. And now as Toji ran franticly around the interior of the shelter it was not the monstrosity outside that terrified him, but the fact that he could not find Mari anywhere. Since his arrival he had searched the bunker to no avail listening to the explosions and feeling the impact tremors all the while. Not since the death of his mother had Toji experienced the cold sinking feeling of dread that was forming in the pit of his stomach as he came to a crippling realization. _Mari was still outside_. He spun around and bolted for the shelter's entrance shouldering passed people who were too caught up in their own fears to notice his course of actions or stop him much like they had ignored Mari.

His fears were all but confirmed as he crested the stairs to find the shelter's blast shutters standing wide open. Luckily for him Mari had not made it far and was only a block away when he had found her. Toji felt all his previous fears melt away as he picked up the ten year old and spun her around happy that she was unharmed. That elation, however, was short lived as explosions shook the road way sending them crashing to the ground. No they were not explosions… they were too regular too consistent…they…they were footsteps! Mari let out a horrified shriek as the beast they had seen outside the dome rounded the corner and strode down the road towards them.

"Come on!" Toji urged grabbing onto Mari's hand and pulling her along trying to make it back to the shelter least the nightmare creature notice them. A massive shadow fell over the pair forcing Toji to pick Mari up and duck between two un-lowered buildings just as an enormous foot crashed down where they had been fractions of a second before. The foot lifted leaving behind a fathomless crater too large for them to cross essentially cutting them off from the shelter.

"What do we do now?" Mari questioned fearfully. Toji turned from the devastation in the street taking in the alleyway.

"There!" He exclaimed spotting a door halfway down the alley. "We can hide in the basement." The siblings approached to door, listening to the thundering footfalls of the beast as it strode away. Toji reached out and tried the knob, it was locked. With a grunt of effort he brought his leg up and delivered a powerful kick to the object that dared to bar their entry. The door shuddered under the impact but did not budge. Frustrated the teen brought his leg up and summoning all the strength gained from years of being on the school's track team kicked the door once again. The frame splintered under the assault and the door swung inwards with a bang revealing a dimly lit staircase. To their dismay it only went up.

"Well nowhere to go, but up," Toji stated as he entered the building.

"Are we gonna be safe in there?" Mari asked still standing in the alley looking at her brother apprehensively.

"It's better than standing out in the open," He replied taking his first step up the stairs. "Now come on." Reluctantly Mari followed closing the door behind her as an afterthought. They made their way up the staircase in nervous silence the sounds of their labored breathing the pair's only comfort as they climbed ever higher. There were no doors leading out of the stair way at any of the landings.

"Were…do…you…think…this…goes..?" Mari puffed out sounding winded. She was not nearly as fit as her brother preferring to spend her time reading and playing video games. She was not overweight just _really_ out of shape.

"Roof probably," Toji responded pausing to allow her to catch up.

"Why are we goin' to the roof?"

"If there's any military flyin' around out there maybe they can pick us up," He reasoned. Mari nodded seemingly satisfied with his answer. Not long afterwards the sound of sirens off in the distance reached the two siblings' ears getting louder as they neared the top of the flight of stairs. Unlike its predecessor the door to the roof was unlocked and when Toji reached it he quickly flung it open eager to get out of the confined space, he instantly regretted it.

Barely three blocks away stood the monster that had nearly crushed them. It just stood there starring at a section of road not far from it. Following the beast's gaze, Toji turned to his left watching dumbstruck as an intersection about a mile away opened up, the sirens reaching a crescendo just before the newly formed hole disgorged another monster.

"Cool!" Mari exclaimed startling the teen with her sudden appearance at his side. "It's a giant robot!" Turning back from his sister Toji took another look at the newly arrived behemoth realizing that yes it was indeed a giant robot. A very intimidating, very frightening giant robot consisting of flat planes and hard angles painted obsidian with crimson highlights. A massive twin barreled Gatling gun was mounted on its left arm and what appeared to be missile pods rose up from its shoulders. A pair of glowing green eyes glared out at the beast from its demonic looking face. If the machine of war's design was intended to shock and awe those who observed it than it seemed to be having the desired effect, on Toji at least the Daemon not so much. Its posture clearly indicating that it was unimpressed and Toji could swear that the monster actually had a look of contempt on its bird like mask of a face.

"This…is…gonna…be…EPIC!" Mari cheered strangely excited given the life or death situation they were now in. Toji could not bring himself to say anything.

* * *

Within the control module of the MK1 Shinji was starting to panic. Time seemed to drag out forever as the Daemon continued to stare her down. Even through the layers of tungsten alloy armor that coated the Mech she could feel the extra dimensional entities hatred and it was focused directly on her. Shinji saw the look of utter disdain on its face and it did not bode well for her.

"What am I supposed to do?!"

"Just try walking!" Misato called over the comm, her face appearing on the small square in the corner of her mind that was the bridge feed.

"_How_ do I do that?!"

"All you have to do is focus your thoughts on the concept of walking!" Misato explained. "You just need to think it!"

"Right!" Shinji affirmed thinking back to the cages where the Marauder had moved its head along with hers. 'Well here goes nothing…' She thought. '**Walk.' **Shinji was forced back into the seat as the MK1 took a lurching step forward.

"She did it! Alright!" Misato cheered. On the surface the Marauder took another lurching step followed by another and another, the movement becoming smoother with each repetition.

'St-stop!' Shinji mentally commanded as the Marauder continued towards the Daemon against her will. 'I said stop!' the MK1 did not cease its advance instead it began to pick up its pace. 'Fine damn it! Have it your way!'

"CHARGE!" The MK1 surged forward at an all-out run.

"Shinji wait!"

"BANZAI!" Shinji cried as she rushed the Daemon crossing her arms in front of her body bracing herself for the inevitable impact, the Marauder, mimicking her brought its armored limbs up, the extended reinforced plating of the Heavy Burst Cannon shielding the Mech's upper body.

Just as the Marauder was about to slam into it, the Daemon side stepped the Mech and violently swung the Hammer like a baseball bat as it passed. The sound metal singing against metal echoed through the empty city as the three thousand ton steel rod connected with the Marauder's lower abdomen.

"Oomph!" Shinji gasped clutching at her stomach feeling as if the wind had been knocked out of her. The Marauder stumbled from the impact and before Shinji could recover the Daemon brought the hammer down on the Mech's back sending it crashing to the ground.

"Shinji get the hell out of there!" Misato ordered. "Get back on your feet!" Shinji willed the MK1 to stand and slowly it began to obey struggling to its hands and knees. However, before she could stand completely the Daemon delivered a punishing kick to the Mech's side forcing it down on its back.

"Shinji!" It was her father.

'Damn it come on!' Shinji thought trying to will the machine back to its feet, but found that she could no longer move. She looked up and gasped. The Daemon was looming over her its foot planted firmly on the MK1's chest pinning it to the ground.

This is the best the spawn of Eve had to offer? What a joke. If the daemon had a proper mouth it would have been grinning. Without abandon the Daemon began to rain blow after blow down upon the fallen machine with the weapon that had been meant to kill it. Shinji cried out in pain feeling every hit like she was the one on the receiving end. Every impact rattled the cock pit, agonizingly shaking the needles in her spine. The Daemon raised the Hammer up and brought it down in a vicious arc intending on smashing in the perversion of the all Mother's head. Shinji raised the Marauder's arms to ward off the blow and let out a blood curdling scream as the impromptu bludgeon smashed through the armor of the right arm and obliterated the organic components beneath. Oily black fluid sprayed forth and the ruined arm fell limply to the ground.

"Dislocation at right elbow!" Maya shouted. Through the comm link Shinji continued to scream in agony all the while clutching at her right forearm.

"Shinji calm down it's not your real arm!" Misato shouted.

"1st Lt. Lower the Neural feedback!" Commander Ikari ordered.

"The system's not responding the communications array has taken too much damage!" Maya called back. In the Marauder Shinji's world had become nothing, but pain. It felt as if her arm had been completely smashed apart. Her left hand told her that her right arm was in intact, but the information her brain was receiving from the neural connection said otherwise. So intense was the pain that nothing else existed, not the frantic shouting of the command crew, or the multiple damage warnings that were being fed to her, not even the Daemon as it discarded the Hammer and picked up the forty meter tall death machine in a bear hug with its bottom arms. That is until it began to inflict fresh agony upon her.

"Shinji! Get out of the way!" Misato cried as she watched the Daemon brutalize the Marauder's head with the massive claws of its upper pair of arms, the armored helm denting in a little more with each impact. Shinji clutched at her head feeling as if it was being crushed in. Her cries of pain devolving into pathetic whimpers her throat having long since gone raw.

"The Cranial area is going into paralysis!" Maya cried out.

"Eject the control module now!" Gendo barked. "Somebody get my daughter out of there!"

"There's no manual override we're losing contact with the MK1!" Hyuga shouted.

Shinji's vision began to blur as the Marauder's optics started to crack under the relentless assault, not that she cared anymore. All she wanted was for the pain to stop; it no longer mattered if she died she just wished the Daemon would stop torturing her and end it already. Just when she thought she could endure no longer, the Daemon ceased attacking. Shinji looked up surprised into the empty abyss of the Daemon's eyes and the abyss stared back. Shinji Ikari knew then that she was about to be granted her wish.

* * *

You have been reading

**Shattered Glass**

Chapter Two: Waking the Beast

_Woe to you oh earth and sea for the devil sends the beast with wrath_

* * *

A/N: Another cliff hanger I know, I'm bad, but this chapter was starting to get too long for my liking and I was well past my original deadline. At this point I would like to take the time to personally thank those who took the time to review so far. So to:

Commander Frank: I'm glad you thought it was cool and i'm sorry to have kept you waiting.

Donderkind: Thanks for beleiving that this was well written that really boosted my confidence. Don't worry you will be seeing alot of their family dynamic very soon. I love alterverse stories especially writing them.

Dorchet: I dare to be inspiring, i kid i kid, but thank you for your words of praise and I do so apologise for the long wait, I hope this chapter did not disappoint.

Blitzstrahl: I'm overjoyed that someone thinks I manged to pull off the gender swap well. I would not say that I'm brave, but I would like to think I'm a risk taker. I have seen stories where the two are outright sibilings, but I don't recall ever seeing any blind Shinji tales. I was hoping to fill that void. As to whether or not there will be a guy!Asuka, well you will just have to wait and see.

And finally my heart goes out to those who chose to follow this literary nightmare I'm trying to pass off as a story. Untill next update so long and good night. -Jalen of the Silence


	4. Book1 Chp3 Aftermath

Shinji's Disclaimer: I'm blind and even I can see that the author doesn't own it.

A/N: This is about the fourth or fifth version of this chapter I think. For some reason I just could not seem to get it right. Still doesn't feel right to me, but oh well. Though the story follows the events of the anime I'm basing my Shinji's personality off the Manga incarnation. Enough of my ramblings enjoy the show.

* * *

The First Book of the Slayer

Known as the Second Genesis

Chapter 3: Aftermath

"Just look at this mess!" An enraged Naoko screamed glaring hatefully at the little girl who looked so much like her husband's late wife. The woman whom she despised above anyone else. "Can't you do anything right?!"

"I'm sorry," Sobbed an eight year old Shinji Ikari who stood in the middle of the kitchen with tears streaming down her face carving wet trails through the flour that covered her from head to foot.

"God, you're more useless then your sister!"

"I thought the table was right there!" Shinji protested still crying. She did not want Naoko to be mad at her anymore; she was scary when she was angry. "It's not my fault I can't see!"

"Don't talk back to me I should spank you for that!" Naoko snapped turning around to get the broom in order to clean up the mess that the blind girl had created when she dropped the open bag of flour.

"You can't you're not my real mommy," Shinji muttered between sniffles rubbing the clumpy mixture of flour and tears from her eyes with the backs of her hands.

"What did you just say?" Naoko growled vehemently, rounding on the blind child and snatching her left wrist.

"Nothing," Shinji lied becoming very frightened.

"Don't lie to me," She snarled tightening her grip painfully on the girl's wrist.

"Owww, please let go you're hurting me," Shinji whined trying to pull her arm from the angered woman's grasp.

"Not until you tell me what you just said!"

"I said you can't do anything because you're not my real mommy," the frail little girl repeated nervously.

"Why you little brat!" Screamed Naoko releasing her hold and back handing her step daughter, sending her crashing painfully to the floor. "Like it or not I'm your mother now and you have to listen to me!"

"Well I don't like it!" Cried Shinji from the floor clutching at her face where Naoko had struck her fresh tears springing forth from her sightless storm blue eyes. "I hate it! I wish my daddy never married you! You don't deserve him! I hate you! I hate you!"

It was at this point that the elder Akagi woman completely lost control for it was no longer Shinji that she saw lying on the ground bawling her useless eyes out, but Yui Ikari taunting her, telling her that Gendo was too good for her. Shinji's cries were suddenly cut short as she felt a hand wrap around her slender neck and lift her bodily off the kitchen floor. She tried to cry out, to call for help, but all that came out was a strangled gasp, Naoko was choking her. Shinji grabbed at her hand desperately trying to pry it from around her throat, but Naoko was much stronger than her. Her lungs burned and her struggles became weaker as her body was deprived of oxygen, she felt dizzy. She could hear someone screaming, but it was faint, indistinct in the haze that had settled over her mind. It almost sounded like they were calling her name.

"_Shinji!"_

'That sounds like Ritsuko….' It was becoming harder to think. Everything sounded far away. Naoko's grip tightened even more cutting off her air supply completely.

'_Mother stop it you're killing her!'_

"Ritsuko…hel…p… me…I don't wa…n...t to… die…" Her last thought as her final shreds of consciousness slipped away.

"Shinji wake up!"

Shinji came to with a start, bolting upright and letting out an agonized scream as searing pain spread like wild fire down her sides and back. She felt someone put a hand on her shoulder, but so consumed was she by pain that Shinji could not find the strength to push it off. Everything hurt, her bones, her muscles, her skin, it even hurt to breathe, her bruised ribs straining painfully against the heavy bandages that she could feel wrapped tightly around her chest and stomach with each hitching breath. Her back burned like it was on fire and her head felt as if it would split open at any second.

"Lay back down," A female voice instructed softly, it was Ritsuko. "If you move around too much you're going to tear open your stiches." Shinji felt the hand on her shoulder move to the center of her chest and another appear on her back to support her as Ritsuko gently eased her down in to a prone position once more.

"Where am I?" Shinji asked clearly confused. She could have sworn she was just having the life choked out of her by her deranged step mother not a moment ago, but wait that was almost eight years ago was it not? A dream then, no more like a nightmare, a very vivid nightmare.

"A room in the post operation recovery ward of the medical wing," Ritsuko replied warmly as she checked over the bandages around her step sister's chest to make sure her sutures had not been torn open by her sudden movement.

"What happened?" Shinji questioned tiredly. The pain made it difficult to think straight. Her remaining senses were muddled leaving her disoriented.

"You won," answered Ritsuko when she finished fussing with the dressings. Shinji felt the bed shift as Ritsuko sat down at the end of it. She could feel her worried gaze on her. Shinji imagined she looked as bad as she felt if not worse. "Let's just leave it at that for now."

"I…I don't remember…" Shinji sighed as she tried to recall the battle only to be met with an empty gap in her memory. No, that was not quite accurate, she could still remember parts of it, but they were scattered, an incoherent mess of images and sounds like a jigsaw puzzle that was missing pieces.

"I'm not surprised considering you sustained several concussions in a very short amount of time. Some memory loss can be expected," Ritsuko explained comfortingly, though the good doctor suspected that Shinji's head injuries were only a minor factor in her inability to properly recall the events of the night prior.

'Can't blame her though,' the bottle blonde thought. 'If I were her I would not be so quick to want to remember either. The whole thing must have been so traumatic for her, poor girl.' Ritsuko shuddered involuntarily as she recalled the brutality she witnessed while reviewing the footage from the battle.

"What _can_ you remember about last night?" Ritsuko finally asked at length.

"The last thing I remember clearly is the Daemon breaking my…no… the Marauder's arm. After that it's really jumbled," Shinji replied cringing as the memory of having her arm shattered replayed in her mind, she could still feel the sympathetic pain from the injury. It was an experience she would soon rather forget.

"But what exactly about your memories stand out?" Ritsuko pressed, curiosity laden in her voice. Shinji pondered the meaning of the question for a moment before realization dawned on her, an expression of amazement and joy coming into existence on her fine features.

"I have image memories!" Shinji exclaimed. "I don't just remember sounds, but pictures too! I remember seeing Daddy and Miss Misato and the workers on the bridge, the launch hanger…" Shinji trailed off as images of the Daemon filled her mind. "…and the Daemon…" Shinji shuddered wrapping her arms around herself. It was a rather strange sight considering she was lying down. "Man that thing was ugly." Ritsuko chuckled slightly at the blind girl's comment, she could not argue with her on that one.

"That's what I was hoping you would say," Ritsuko commented. "I was not sure if your mind would store that information due to the imagery being fed directly into your optical cortex instead of engaging the full network of optic nerves, but it appears that it did. This is an amazing discovery."

"Yeah…" Shinji sighed happily. "It is amazing, I could see again, even if it was for a little while." A look of wistfulness spread across her attractive face. The pair fell silent, Ritsuko being content with watching her step sister/surrogate daughter revel in the memories of her momentarily restored sight. The girl's apparent happiness though brought the scientist no joy for the terrible irony of the whole affair was not lost to her. She wished that there was something she could do to restore to Shinji her sight, but even with the great leaps in medical technology that had been made; the damage to the nerves of Shinji's eyes was far too severe to be repaired. Despite being one of the top leading scientific minds in what was left of the world, when it came to her step sister, Ritsuko felt useless.

"So," Ritsuko began, breaking the silence. Shinji cocked her head to the side slightly indicating that she was listening. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"Talk about what?" Shinji questioned furrowing her eyebrows in confusion.

"The dream you were having," the woman clarified. "When I came in to check on you, you were talking in your sleep, you sounded scared. That's why I woke you up, though I did not expect you to awaken so violently."

Shinji was quiet and appeared very uncomfortable about the current topic. Ritsuko guessed that if she could, Shinji would have already drawn her legs up to her chest like she was apt to do when she was upset or frightened.

"We don't have to talk about it if you don't want to," Ritsuko spoke in a motherly tone. "Just know that I'll always be there for you if you need me."

"I know," Shinji said with a small smile. "Thank you."

"You are quite welcome, that is what big sisters are for after all," Responded the good doctor putting as much of a smile in her voice as possible. "Now get some rest okay? I'll let Gendo know how you're doing and will check up on you in a little while."

Shinji felt the bed shift again as her step sibling stood up, listening to the sound of her heels clicking against the linoleum as she left. When Ritsuko's footsteps had faded into the distance, Shinji sighed softly shivering as the dream replayed in her mind once more. Naoko had almost killed her that day and had Ritsuko not intervened when she did then the elder Akagi would more than likely have succeeded. When her father had found out he had the woman committed to a mental ward as it was quite obvious that Naoko had suffered a nervous breakdown, the reason as to why though remained a mystery. It was about a year or so later that she was released, unfortunately because they were still legally married, into Gendo's custody.

For reasons beyond Shinji's understanding Gendo had allowed the woman stay with them despite her apparent instability. It was obvious though that he was not at all convinced that Naoko had fully recovered and had therefore enrolled Shinji at the Neo Tokyo Academy for the Blind shortly afterwards not only for her safety, but for a better education than what private tutors could provide. It was not much longer than that her father's love of the woman lost out to the importance of his daughter's and their safety and he divorced her which made Shinji incredibly happy. It had always bothered her that he had gotten remarried after her mother's death. Of course she wanted him to be happy, god knows he deserved to be, Shinji was not that shellfish, but it just felt wrong to her for him to be with anyone else. In any case she doubted that he would be getting back out there anytime soon considering his job.

She let another sigh escape her small lips settling deeper into the hospital bed trying her best to ignore the unwavering damage report that was the pain she felt.

'There were so many times that I should have died,' she thought gravely as sleep began to envelope her once more into its tantalizing embrace. 'I guess I'm pretty lucky that I haven't.' Shinji Ikari was indeed a lucky girl, but it was only a matter of time before that luck finally gave out.

* * *

"Well that's strange," Came Nicolai's muffled voice from inside the heavily damaged control module.

"What is?" Questioned Misato peering into the cockpit over the metal railing of the cat walk she stood on, one of many that traversed the repair bay.

"The internal release mechanisms for the access hatch are damaged," the Warrant Officer replied poking his head out and looking up at the woman. Save for the crutches and garish white cast she now sported around the lower part of her leg she looked none the worse for wear.

"Meaning what exactly?" Misato inquired shifting her weight forward onto the crutches taking some of the pressure off her good leg. Nicolai climbed out of the control module wiping his grease and LCL coated hands on the front of the coveralls he wore over his uniform.

"It means that there was no way Shinji got out by herself. Someone had to have opened the module from the outside. Good thing they did too." Misato stared at him confused.

"What do mean?"

"The pumps cannot oxygenate the LCL without the Module being connected to the Marauder's power core. She would only have had a few minutes of oxygen left when it got ejected. With the hatch being jammed from the inside trapping her chances are she would have suffocated, or drowned depending on how you want to look at it," Nicolai explained glancing back into the cock pit with an unreadable expression.

"So you're saying that someone happened to come along see the crashed module and go 'I think I'm going to open that thing'?" Misato sounded skeptical.

"That's exactly what I'm saying," Nicolai said as he walked across the platform the battered cylinder of metal sat on to the tool covered workbench near the stairs that lead up to Misato's level. "More than likely whomever this person was they were outside during the fight and saw the Module being ejected from the MK1. It landed pretty hard, probably what damaged the inner release; I'm guessing they thought the pilot was in trouble, or unconscious. They wouldn't have been wrong."

"And you're sure there was no way she could have gotten out on her own?" This was bad. If Nicolai was right than it meant that not only was a civilian outside of a shelter, something that could have cost them their life, but that the Marauder project and its technology had been compromised. If this unknown civilian happened to work for an arms company then they could copy the designs. Neither Misato nor Nicolai cared to think about what the consequences of that would be.

"Positive and of course there's this," Responded the large Russian pulling something out of a paper bag that was resting on the tool bench holding it up for the Director of Operations to see. It was a dark blue jacket that was stained with LCL and splotches of what looked like dried blood on the inside back.

"A boy's uniform jacket?"

Nicolai nodded returning the garment to the bag. "From a local high school. Shinji was wearing it when the rescue crews found her. Lying on a couch in a lounge two floors down from where the module crashed into that office building I might add. If she was as injured as Ritsuko says she was its improbable that she made it down there without help."

Misato said nothing for a few moments mulling over what she had just been told.

"So what's your opinion on the whole thing?" She asked finally.

"In one word?" Nicolai paused for a moment, whether it was for dramatic effect or to actually think of his response Misato was not sure. "Crazy." The Major could not help, but to agree with him on that. The fact that she worked for a secret organization under the control of the U.N was absurd enough, but the fact that her job was to send forty meter tall bio mechanical constructs piloted by sixteen year olds to fight giant monsters took the cake. If anything the word crazy did not do the situation justice. Downright insane was a more appropriate description. Misato did not doubt that she would need intensive therapy well before she was old enough to retire. If they lived that long that is. The ringing of her cellular, however, interrupted her down ward spiraling train of thought before it took her any further into the realms of pessimism.

"Katsuragi here," she greeted.

….

"Oh hey Ritsuko what's up?"

…

"Really? How is she?"

…

"What do you mean she can't remember?"

…

"Oh hehe," Misato chuckled nervously rubbing the back of her head and almost losing her balance neglecting the fact that she was only leaning on one of her crutches. "That wasn't entirely my fault; the Hammer got dropped right on top of us. Did you tell the Commander yet?"

….

"Still? Man, Sindel must really be grilling him. I'd hate to be in his shoes right now."

….

"I am not being insensitive!" Misato protested as Ritsuko continued to berate her for the comment. "I'm just saying that there is no way I could handle all that the man has gone through what with Rei and Shinji being hurt and all on top of all the other responsibilities he has. I'd have lost it by now. Speaking of which how is Rei doing?"

…..

"No," Misato's heart sank as Ritsuko told her the news. She was sure Shinji would be devastated especially after everything she had just gone through. "Have you told Shinji?"

…..

"Oh it's medically induced?" Misato brightened. "Why didn't you say so in the first place? How long are you planning on keeping her under?"

...

"Yeah, guess you're right. "

…..

"Huh? Oh yeah he is. I'll bring him with me I wanted to go see her anyway."

….

"No problem thanks for letting me know. Talk to you later," and with that the raven haired officer ended the call returning her phone to her jacket pocket.

"So I take it Shinji's awake?" Nicolai questioned cresting the stairs coming to a stop next to the woman. Misato nodded in reply.

"How is she doing?"

"She's in a lot of pain and her memories a little shoddy, but otherwise okay. She seems to be handling things pretty well considering. I'd of figured she would be freaking out pretty bad."

"I'm not," Nicolai gazed out across the rest of the repair bay at the MK1, technicians crawling over its surfaces like so many ants working diligently to repair the grievous damage it had sustained in battle. "From the time I spent with her she seemed pretty well adjusted. Given what she's already gone through…" He trailed off. "Anyway her not being able to remember that well is probably helping."

"Yeah sometimes it's better to forget," Misato replied solemnly a distant look in her soft brown eyes. There were some memories even she wanted to forget.

"You gonna go see her?" Nicolai questioned bringing the woman back to reality.

"Yep I was just about to head up there so I could reunite these two," She answered gesturing to the large huskie that was lying next to her with his head resting on his paws. The sights and smells of the repair bay had held no interest to him.

"You mind if I come with you with? There was something I wanted to give her," Nicolai requested pulling out a small lumpy package wrapped in brown paper from between his coveralls and uniform.

"I don't see why not." She answered before turning and looking down at the dog. "You ready to go see Shinji?" Fenrir's ears perked at the mention of his master's name and he quickly stood up, his tail wagging excitedly. It was unusual for them to be apart for so long and he was eager to be with her once more. That and he did not want to spend any more time with the raven haired female, though she had been very nice to him even giving him bacon (his favorite) she smelled funny like cheap booze and birds of all things. It made his nose hurt. Without another word the trio made their way out of the repair bay and towards the elevators that would take them up to the floor of the Geofront where the medical wing was located.

* * *

Despite the copious amounts of pain killers being pumped into her veins, Shinji hurt. To the point that she could not sleep and so she lay there unmoving least she aggravate her injuries more. Shinji did not want a repeat of what she experienced when Ritsuko had woken her up. 'She never did tell me what all was wrong with me,' Shinji realized. 'And what did I need stiches for?'

But before she could ponder this further there came a knock at the door to her room.

"Hey Shinji, you awake in there?" A familiar voice called.

"Miss Misato is that you?" Shinji questioned surprised. After the injuries she had sustained in the accident Shinji figured the woman would have been laid up in a hospital bed like her.

"Yep it's me!" Misato said cheerfully as she moved into the room. Shinji could hear the rubber tips of the woman's crutches squeaking against the tiled floor. "And I brought somebody to see you!" Before Shinji could ask who Misato had brought to see her, the sounds of nails clicking against the floor reached her ears as Fenrir ran into the room and leapt onto the bed. Unfortunately he landed right on top of the injured girl causing her to let out a sharp cry of pain. The dog quickly moved himself off of her, sitting instead at the end of the bed.

"Thanks for bringing him," Shinji spoke the gratitude obvious in her voice, turning her head in the direction of Misato's voice and smiling. She loved her dog he had hardly left her side since she got him at the Academy. He was her best friend; if no one else Shinji would always have Fenrir.

"I came too," Nicolai piped up entering the room.

"Hi Mr. Hebb," Shinji greeted. "I guess I don't get to kick your ass after all."

"No I guess not," Nicolai joked. "And please call me Nicolai or Nick if you prefer, Mr. Hebb was my father." Misato looked between the two with raised eyebrows clearly confused.

"I'll tell you later," Nicolai mouthed at her. Misato shook her head.

"So how you are feelin' kiddo?" Misato asked before taking a seat by the bed in the only chair in the room forcing Nicolai to stand. Not that he cared; the Operations director deserved it more than he did.

"Like the Daemon stepped on me," Shinji remarked dryly. "Other than that I'm fine, how are you?" Misato did not miss the sarcasm in the blind girl's voice. It did not bother her though, it meant that she was feeling better, well at least enough to give her a hard time.

"I'm good," Misato replied not missing a beat. "Can't let a thing like a broken ankle keep me from my job."

"You're pretty tough," Shinji observed recalling how Misato had carried her even with how badly injured she was. It was actually kind of inspiring.

"Don't know about that she can be a big baby sometimes," Nicolai interjected. Misato shot him a glare. He just grinned back at her. "That reminds me I got something for you."

"How does Misato being a big baby remind you of something you got me?" Shinji questioned quirking an eyebrow. "It's not diapers or something is it? Cause if it is I'll make Fenrir bite you." As if on cue Fenrir drew back his lips and let out a low growl.

"Just open it," Nicolai instructed with a sigh before pulling the package out and placing it in the girl's lap. Shinji reached out searching for the beds control panel with her hand. Finding it she pressed the button (it was a good thing they had brail labels or she would be pressing buttons all day) that would lift the top half of the bed up into a sitting position. She grimaced slightly as the bed was raised, it still hurt, but it was better than trying to move herself. When the bed finally reached an angle she was happy with Shinji released the switch and picked up the package studying it with her hands for a few moments before poking her thumb through the wrapping.

"A bra?" Shinji questioned confused after examining the object within with her fingertips.

"Yeah, to replace the one I messed up last night," Nicolai explained. Misato gave him an odd look which he ignored. "Same style and color too."

"Thanks Nick," Shinji said smiling in what she hoped was his direction. For all she knew she could have been smiling at a wall.

"Least I could do after you saved us; I should be thanking you actually."

"I'm just glad that it's over," Shinji responded rather glumly, her smile fading. "I never want to go through that again." Misato sighed, her expression turning grave.

"That's just the thing Shinji, you might have to," she said seriously.

"What do you mean?" Shinji did not like where this was going. In fact it down right terrified her. Despite being able to see when connected, she did not want to go anywhere near the MK1 again let alone get back inside of it. Not after everything she had been through because of it. Shinji had only piloted for one reason, to protect her family and now that she had done so all she wanted was to go back to the Academy. After she spent some time with Rei and made sure she was okay of course.

"Do you know who Nathan Sindel is?" Misato asked answering the blind teen's question with one of her own.

"He was the Commander of U.N.D.E.A.D before my father. He's the Chairman of the Council of Five now right?"

"That's right," Misato confirmed. "He was also the one who predicted that the Daemon would return, but unfortunately he predicted there would be more we just don't know when they're coming."

"What's that got to do with me?" Shinji said, a little more sharply than she wanted to. If her tone fazed Misato it did not show in her voice.

"Because Shinji if another Daemon shows up you are our only pilot. Believe me I wish that wasn't the case." She really did feel that way, it killed her to have to ask the girl to stay knowing how much she had suffered. "But with your sister in coma…"

"Rei's in a coma!?" Shinji shouted cutting off Misato mid-sentence immediately regretting doing so as pain once more tore through her damaged body.

"Medically induced coma," Misato corrected. "Ritsuko put her under so her injuries could heal quicker and not have to suffer. Don't worry she's fine Ritsuko knows what she's doing, but with her being in that state."

"And the MK3 still under construction half way around the globe," Nicolai added.

"You and the MK1 are our only defense," Misato finished gravely, her words hanging heavily in the air. Shinji did not reply instead turning her head away until it was facing forward her expression blank and her hands clasped together in her lap.

"Look Shinji," Misato sighed. "I know how scared you are, but there is no other way. Until your sister gets better or the MK3 gets shipped over then you, me, Rei, your Father, everyone, is still in danger. Don't you want to protect them?" Misato felt guilt well up inside. She hated to have to pull that card, but if it was the only way to convince Shinji to continue piloting then so be it. At least that's what she would tell herself when she went to bed that night.

"Of course I do!" Shinji snapped wiping her head back around in their direction tears forming in the corners of her eyes. "But I'm not a solider! I'm just teenager! I just want to do normal teenaged things like go to the mall or get a boyfriend not pilot a giant robot!"

"If another Daemon shows up that won't matter because we will all be dead." Misato replied flatly. Nicolai stepped forward and placed his hand on Misato's shoulder. She looked up at him surprised.

"I got this," He mouthed at her. "We're not the only ones who are depending on you right now Shinji."

"I know that," Shinji muttered.

"No Shinji I don't think that you do," Nicolai stated. "You see you didn't just save the city, you saved the world and someone out there knows that, someone who was willing to risk their neck for you."

"What are you talking about?" Shinji inquired confused, turning her head to face in the direction she had heard Nicolai's voice come from. There was a rustling sound and then she felt something being laid across her legs.

"You were found wearing this," Nicolai informed her as she ran her hands across the object. It was a jacket by the shape of it made out of a soft tightly woven material. "Somebody pulled you out of the crashed Control Module, carried you down two flights of stairs, and covered you up with that jacket. I'd say that they were pretty grateful to you to go through all that trouble."

"They helped me?" Shinji asked softly pulling the jacket closer to her chest. She could smell the blood on the jacket so much so that it was nearly over powering. 'I must have been bleeding pretty badly,' she realized. There was something else there too just under the coopery scent of her bodily fluids, the scent of another person, spicy almost and sweet, a boy's deodorants spray.

"Yes they did," Nicolai answered. "Do you remember?" Shinji brought the jacket up to her nose inhaling deeply hoping that the smell would trigger a memory. For a brief moment she could swear she heard voices whispering softly and the sensation of being carried, but as quickly as it came it was gone, slipping beyond Shinji's finger tips before she could fully grasp it and make out what they had been saying.

"I remember hearing voices," Shinji said quietly. "I think there were two of them. I can't remember what they were saying, but they were worried and one of them was a girl I think." Misato and Nicolai shared a look both of their eyebrows raised.

"Does my father know about this?"

"Yeah, he wants to give the kid a medal and then throw him in the brig for being out of the shelter," Nicolai informed her. He conveniently left out the part about her nearly drowning in the Control Module, but Shinji did not need to know that. It would only frighten her even more and that was something that they did not need to do. "If you don't pilot then the danger that this person put themselves through will be for nothing as will the sacrifices that the E.A.S.D.F made to buy us enough time to launch you."

Shinji said nothing for several moments simply sitting there with the jacket of the boy who had saved her held tightly to her chest, the expression on her face a reflection of the turmoil she was wrestling within. Then finally:

"I'll do it…" she murmured softly.

"Thank you Shinji, what you're doing is very noble," Spoke Misato. Shinji made no reply seemingly lost in her own world for the moment. Misato could not blame her; she had just asked her to shoulder the weight of the world. It was up to Shinji now though to not shrug.

"I have something else for you," Misato added, reaching into her jacket pocket. "Hold out your hand."

Shinji did as she was instructed and she felt something cool and metallic being placed into her out stretched hand. It was two small steel rectangles attached to a chain, dog tags. Shinji held them between her hands reading over the engravings with her thumbs.

TYR

221786333UDMC

A NEG

ODINIST

"Why does it say Tyr and not my name?" Shinji asked curiously.

"It's your call sign," Misato answered, her cheerful attitude returning. "It seemed to fit since you're into Norse Mythology and from the way you fought out there you're more than deserving of the moniker of a war god." Shinji smiled and slipped the chain over her head, the tags resting just under the dip in her collar bone.

"Thanks Misato, but why did you get these made?"

"Oh I was sure that you would stay, I'm pretty convincing."

"Yeah, but Nicolai was the one who convinced me to stay," Shinji pointed out.

"You're cuter when you keep your mouth closed," Misato grumbled sticking her tongue out childishly and crossing her arms, not that Shinji could see her. Shinji laughed, not the best idea.

"Ow, ow, ow," She moaned clutching at her sides.

"That's what you get for laughing," Misato said smugly. Nicolai sighed and shook his head at the display of immaturity before him.

* * *

The Dungeon, what those who knew about this section called it; its official name was Terminal Dogma. The most secure and heavily guarded sector of the base located in the lowest levels of U.N.D.E.A.D proper featuring the most cutting edge in containment technology. Only the highest ranking members of the Command Staff were allowed entry of which only a fraction ever ventured and for good reason. It was a dark place, eerie and silent lending an air of foreboding to its empty halls.

Gendo Ikari was not bothered by this; he had been desensitized by its effects long ago. Only lesser men were cowed by such things, simpletons who were unable to ignore their irrational fears and ignore those fears Gendo did. There was something down here more worth fearing than the boogeymen that the human mind conjured to inhabit places such as this. So he walked on, his footsteps echoing through the empty halls, undeterred by the little voice in the back of his head that screamed at him to turn and run.

After several more minutes of walking through the seemingly endless winding halls he reached his destination. An innocuous looking door set into the wall at the end of the labyrinth designed to confuse and disorient those who attempted to penetrate it, or perhaps it was the other way around. The Supreme Commander regarded said door, if you could call it that as the only thing that separated it from any other section of wall was the hand and retinal scanners set into it, with a look of passive indifference as he awaited the honor guard that had accompanied him to take up their positions. Without a word he slid off the glove covering his right hand and pressed it against the scanner while a beam of light passed over his retina. There was a beep and the lock indicator flashed green. With a hiss and the grinding of gears the door slowly retracted into the wall revealing it to be several feet thick.

Gendo replaced the glove over his hand and stepped forward, two of the guards flanking him as he entered the room beyond, the lights coming on with a loud thud. It was a small room, its walls coated in paint of an obsidian hue with strange symbols in luminescent white. This, however, was not its strangest feature for in the center of the room, suspended from the ceiling and anchored to the floor by thick steel chains surrounded by a ring of complex glyphs, was a heavy iron cross on which a woman was bound. With features soft and refined with shoulder length straight black hair and skin as pale as snow she was the text book definition of classic beauty. She wore a simple white gown that was nearly transparent leaving very little of her tempting body to the imagination. She appeared to be asleep despite the bright lights.

"Check the salt," Gendo ordered. The two guards split off to check the line of purified salt that circumvented the room for any breaks before examining the glyphs. They could not be too safe.

"Wake up," Gendo snapped coming to a stop just in front of the cross. The woman's eyes slid open revealing pools of shimmering black crossed by vertical slits as red as blood, they were the eyes of a Daemon.

"Oh Gendo," She cooed her voice as sickeningly sweet as honey. Her mouth split open in an impossibly wide smile exposing row after row of needle like fangs. "I was wondering when you would come see me again."

"A Daemon has come," Gendo stated flatly ignoring the creature's comment.

"Straight to the point as always you never come see me just to talk," the creature posing as a woman said with a pout. "I'm starting to think you don't actually care about me."

"You are deluding yourself if you believe that I have a shred of emotion to spare on you Lilith." Yes, Lilith, the mother of all Daemon. The first to enter this realm, who's Hell Gate was responsible for the event known as First Contact a hundred years ago. A catastrophe that nearly destroyed the planet's magnetosphere and melted the polar ice cap, flooding many of the northern countries and turning others into barren wastelands forcing human kind to take shelter in domes of Glassiac least they be killed by solar radiation.

"You're no fun."

"I care little for what you think of me Daemon," He answered coolly.

"What do you want?" Lilith questioned her tone instantly switching from playful to deathly serious.

"One of your children has come for you. It has been slain." If Lilith was angered by this she did not show it.

"More will come," She stated with a shrug, something that should have been impossible as her arms were bound to the cross with thick chains of iron up to her shoulders. Spikes of pure silver had been hammered into her hands and feet further affixing her to it.

"And they will meet the same fate," Gendo stated pushing his tinted glasses back into position.

"Is there a point to this?" She sounded bored.

"When the last one falls I will see to it that your existence is ended…_permanently_."

"Why not just kill me now?" She questioned tilting her head to the side curiously.

"I know you feel their pain, I want you to suffer. That is all you deserve."

"A cruel man you are Gendo Ikari." Lilith smiled wickedly at him. Gendo reached into the neckline of his shirt and pulled out a necklace with a ten point star forged from blessed silver.

"Cruelty has nothing to do with it," Gendo shouted over Lilith's pained cries as he pressed the pendant into her forehead, her flesh bubbling grotesquely where it made contact. "It is justice, and you would do well to keep my name from your mouth Daemon." With that he returned the pendant to its place beneath his shirt and turned to leave.

"You're a fool." Gendo stopped and turned his head, looking at her over his shoulder. She was breathing heavily, but the wound had already begun to heal.

"And why is that?" He responded levelly.

"My children are stronger than you think. I will be free and there is not a single thing you or your little toys can do to stop me. You wanted me to suffer? You don't even know the meaning of the word. When I'm done with you, your suffering will legendary, even in hell." Manic laughter escaped her pale lips as her face split into a too wide grin.

"We shall see," Gendo remarked flatly before making his way out of Lilith's cell.

"You're all going to die!" She called after him in a sing song voice laughing madly. The room plunged into darkness as the door slid shut silencing the All Mother like a guillotine.

* * *

You have been reading

**Shattered Glass**

Chapter 3: Aftermath

_She was aware that she was still a child_

* * *

A/N: I decided to forgo the obligatory first fight. There wasn't much I could do with it that no one else has and it just didn't fit in where I wanted to go so if your disappointed I apologize, but don't worry there will be plenty of awesome battles soon. I would now like to take this time to personally thank those who reviewed the last chapter. So to:

Blitzstrahl: Yes Gendo does care about his family in this and you will see why later on.

Donderkind: I'm glad you liked the action I was afraid it didn't flow that well so for you to say it does eases my self- criticism. The building of this universe and its population will be explained in the upcoming chapters so you won't have to wait long.

driftking18594: I do indeed have my reasons, which of course will be revealed later on. As for whether or not she will become obsessed, well you will just have to keep reading.

Dorchet: I'm glad you thought the wait was worth it and I hope this chapter was as well. Though I'm sure this one was not nearly as gripping.

Again I thank all of you who have taken the time to read and hope you continue to follow as the story marches on. Please review if you can, your words help me to improve my writing and inspire me to continue this nightmare I'm trying to pass as literature


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